Book contents
- The Cambridge Handbook of Political Psychology
- The Cambridge Handbook of Political Psychology
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Part I Foundations of Political Psychology
- Part II The Politics of Intergroup Attitudes
- 11 Authoritarianism
- 12 A Political Psychology of Ethnocentrism
- 13 Collective Narcissism
- 14 Demographic Change, White Decline, and the Changing Nature of Racial Politics in Election Campaigns
- 15 Macro-diversity and Intergroup Attitudes
- 16 The Persistence of Gender in Campaigns and Elections
- 17 The Politics of Abortion, Pregnancy, and Motherhood
- 18 Religiosity and Openness to Authoritarian Governance
- 19 The Consequences of Moral Conviction in Politics
- 20 The Political Psychology of National Identity
- 21 The Political Dynamics of Immigration Opinion Worldwide
- 22 International and Individual Differences in Support for Human Rights
- Part III Contemporary Challenges to Democracy
- Part IV Diversifying Perspectives in Political Psychology
- Index
- References
11 - Authoritarianism
Conceptualisation, Research, and New Developments
from Part II - The Politics of Intergroup Attitudes
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 February 2022
- The Cambridge Handbook of Political Psychology
- The Cambridge Handbook of Political Psychology
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Part I Foundations of Political Psychology
- Part II The Politics of Intergroup Attitudes
- 11 Authoritarianism
- 12 A Political Psychology of Ethnocentrism
- 13 Collective Narcissism
- 14 Demographic Change, White Decline, and the Changing Nature of Racial Politics in Election Campaigns
- 15 Macro-diversity and Intergroup Attitudes
- 16 The Persistence of Gender in Campaigns and Elections
- 17 The Politics of Abortion, Pregnancy, and Motherhood
- 18 Religiosity and Openness to Authoritarian Governance
- 19 The Consequences of Moral Conviction in Politics
- 20 The Political Psychology of National Identity
- 21 The Political Dynamics of Immigration Opinion Worldwide
- 22 International and Individual Differences in Support for Human Rights
- Part III Contemporary Challenges to Democracy
- Part IV Diversifying Perspectives in Political Psychology
- Index
- References
Summary
New research emphasises the need to conceptually differentiate authoritarianism on right and left from conventional conservatism and liberalism. It is therefore argued that authoritarianism is best conceptualised as an intolerant and morally absolutist motive to coercively impose particular values, way of life, and social organisation on individuals. Research on likely causes and consequences has thus far focused almost entirely on authoritarianism of the right, and indicates that two distinct dimensions, best captured by Right Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) and Social Dominance Orientation (SDO), have different genetic, dispositional, and situational origins. In addition, despite having broadly similar likely effects on anti-democratic attitudes, prejudice, nationalism, political intolerance, and extremism, they are differently motivated; RWA by perceived threats to safety and security, and SDO by competitive threats to the social hierarchy. Emerging research on LWA also suggests that authoritarianism of both right and left are rooted in similar personal characteristics and have similar effects on attitudes and behaviour.
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- Information
- The Cambridge Handbook of Political Psychology , pp. 177 - 197Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2022
References
- 19
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