A New Trick for Managing the Chronically Cynical

Everyone knows someone who constantly questions and challenges everything they see and hear. Perhaps you have an acquaintance who’s never satisfied with any of the information you provide to answer their questions. You’d like to get closer to this person, but that drumbeat of mistrust just puts up a wall so high that you doubt you’ll ever get past it. The information doesn’t even have to be answers you provide to questions; it could be the latest news about the COVID-19 pandemic, a revelation about a local political figure, or even the weather forecast. Why can’t this person just believe something, anything, and make life a little easier for everyone?

The quality of cynicism, in its extreme, can be one component of the personality trait known as Machiavellianism. You might already know what this quality is just by the term alone, but its formal definition includes not just a tendency to manipulate and exploit others, but also a deeply-held belief that others are, as the saying goes, “out to get them.”

The Psychological Roots of Cynicism

In research on the underlying motivation of the Machiavellian, TU Dorman University’s Christian Blötner and Sebastian Bergold (2022) proposed that what they call “avoidance” motivation leads these individuals to experience a deep sense of distrust and highly “negative views of human nature.” Although the authors don’t relate this foundational motivation to its possible origins, you might think of this deep sense of distrust as potentially stemming from early childhood experiences in which individuals learn that they can only rely on themselves because others will invariably neglect or mistreat them. You can read more about Blötner and Bergold's research, and the 10-item Machiavellianism scale they developed here.

Not all cynics would qualify as people high on this overall trait of Machiavellianism, though. In the case of the weather, it’s easy to become a cynic and, in an age of rapidly shifting information cycles, it’s just as easy to find yourself questioning a headline that pops up in your news feed. So apart from this “sinister” form of cynicism, what else might contribute to an individual’s lack of willingness to accept without questioning the people and information that cross their path?

It’s possible that the very skeptical have simply developed a so-called “cognitive style,” or analytical type of mindset that causes them to look at situations from all possible angles. Indeed, you might argue that some form of cynicism is adaptive. Think about the highly gullible people you know who are easily swayed by whatever winds might be sweeping over the media landscape. Not only could they put themselves at risk for being swindled by the ads that fund the media landscape, but they can also be led to accept faulty information that puts their health and well-being in jeopardy. Maybe it is better to think twice or perhaps three times before rushing into such a poor decision.

The Skeptic, the Cynic, and the Machiavellian

The non-Machiavellian form of cynicism may, then, have its plusses as well as its minuses. According to Frostburg State University’s D. Alan Bensley and colleagues (2022), it’s actually highly adaptive to be at least somewhat distrustful of the information to which you’re exposed. In their words, understanding what leads people to believe in unsubstantiated claims “is vitally important in a world where misinformation and false beliefs often guide people’s actions.” The people least likely to fall for these beliefs aren’t evil, in this view. They could just be well-adapted in their ability to use rational-analytic thinking. But are they cynics?

According to the view represented by Dual-Process Theory (DPT), there are two mutually exclusive ways of taking in new information: rational-analytic or intuitive-experiential. According to the predictions of DPT, those low in rational-analytic thinking should be more accepting of the related misinformed beliefs involving paranormal phenomena, false conspiracy theories, and psychological misconceptions.

Testing these predictions across three undergraduate samples (totaling nearly 900 people), Bensley and his colleagues sought to establish not only the connections among these sets of beliefs, but also a way to tease apart and measure the skepticism component of rational-analytic thinking. At the same time, the research team attempted to thread the needle between ordinary cynicism and the more specialized form of skepticism in which people correctly question the validity of potential misinformation.

Through a series of statistical tests, the authors arrived at a final set of 17 items which pulls “scientific” skepticism out from skepticism more generally, and as related to but not identical to cynicism. Their new measure, the Scientific Skepticism Scale (SSS) taps the two related components of “skeptical but open-minded” and “endorsement of a scientific approach.” See how you would rate on sample items from each of these subscales (rate yourself from 1= not at all to 7= very true of me or what I believe):

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Skeptical but open-minded:

1. I believe it is important that scientists suspend their belief on a question until their belief has been supported by much high-quality research and not contradicted by other high-quality research.
2. It is important to me that I am able to change my mind about a question when high-quality scientific evidence suggests I may be wrong.
3. I doubt that either my perception or anyone's perception is always accurate and reliable.

Endorsement of the scientific approach:

1. I like to wait until I have some quality scientific evidence before deciding on why something happens.
2. I think the best way to learn about the objective world is through science.
3. It is important to me that I think like a scientist when I encounter questions about the nature of the world.

As you can see from these items, they have essentially nothing to do with the “avoidance” motivation of the highly Machiavellian individual, and everything to do with taking a hard look at evidence. However, what does this say about the cynic? What turns someone from a “scientific skeptic” into a cynic?

According to the researchers, cynicism has “an affective aspect besides a cognitive, evaluative aspect.” Indeed, in their separate examination relating scores on a previously-developed cynicism scale with beliefs in misinformation, the authors reported that the chronically cynical could actually share some qualities with the Machiavellian. The reason that the cynic (but not the skeptic) accepts misinformation in the form of conspiracy theories is due to a tendency to devalue “authoritative statements from scientists, experts, and people in power.” With this additional nuance, it seems as if the dyed in the wool cynic might have more than just a skeptical thinking style.

And Now, How to Handle the True Cynic

If it’s the case that the highly cynical are more than “skeptical,” the Bensley et al. study provides some clear guideposts for you to use in dealing with the chronic questioner. Start by asking yourself whether this person questions all scientific evidence out of hand. Do they seem to have a touch of anger directed at those in power? Alternatively, if what seems to be cynicism is more of a sit-back-and-see adoption of the scientific method, you might be able to gain some valuable skills as you try to navigate the complex world of information out there.

With the actual cynic, then, your best strategy may be to head off in the other direction. It can be unpleasant to be around someone who is so questioning of all authority, but it could also lead you to become one of these individuals’ targets.

If you tend toward the doubting side of life, you can also learn from your experience with true cynics about how unpleasant it can be to be around someone who’s always so negative. You can also gain some insight into where your own doubtful attitudes come from, and if it’s motivation or cognition that’s driving your own questioning of the facts.

To sum up, knowing the difference between cynicism and skepticism can help you find the proper balance in your own life between doubt and acceptance, a balance that can work toward your own ability to reap the benefits of rational thinking.