Exploring the Multidimensional Facets of Authoritarianism: Authoritarian Aggression and Social Dominance Orientation
Abstract
The relation between authoritarianism and social dominance orientation was analyzed, with authoritarianism measured using a three-dimensional scale. The implicit multidimensional structure (authoritarian submission, conventionalism, authoritarian aggression) of Altemeyer’s (1981,1988) conceptualization of authoritarianism is inconsistent with its one-dimensional methodological operationalization. The dimensionality of authoritarianism was investigated using confirmatory factor analysis in a sample of 713 university students. As hypothesized, the three-factor model fit the data significantly better than the one-factor model. Regression analyses revealed that only authoritarian aggression was related to social dominance orientation. That is, only intolerance of deviance was related to high social dominance, whereas submissiveness was not.
References
Adorno, T. W. , Frenkel-Brunswik, E. , Levinson, D. J. , Sanford, R. N. (1950). The authoritarian personality. New York: Harper and RowAiello, A. , Chirumbolo, A. , Leone, L. (2004). La scala di autoritarismo di destra (Altemeyer, 1998): Uno studio di adattamento e validazione [Right-wing authoritarianism scale (Altemeyer, 1998): A study of adaptation and validation]. Rassegna di Psicologia, 21, 73– 91Altemeyer, B. (1981). Right-wing authoritarianism. Winnipeg, Canada: The University of Manitoba PressAltemeyer, B. (1988). Enemies of freedom. Understanding right-wing authoritarianism. San Francisco: Jossey-BassAltemeyer, B. (1996). The authoritarian specter. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University PressAltemeyer, B. (2004). Highly dominating, highly authoritarian personalities. Journal of Social Psychology, 14, 421– 447Andrich, D. (1985). A latent trait model for items with response dependencies: Implications for test construction and analysis. In S. E. Embretson (Ed.), Test design. Developments in psychology and psychometrics (pp. 245-275). Orlando, FL: Academic Press.Arendt, H. (1964). Eichmann in Jerusalem. New York: VikingBaars, J. , Scheepers, P (1993). Theoretical and methodological foundations of ‘The Authoritarian Personality’. The Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences, 29, 345– 353Bandura, A. (1990). Selective activation and disengagement of moral control. Journal of Social Issues, 46, 27– 46Bandura, A. (1999). Moral disengagement in the perpetration of inhumanities. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 3, 193– 209Bar-Tal, D. (1990). Causes and consequences of delegitimization: Models of conflict and ethnocentrism. Journal of Social Issues, 46, 65– 81Bauman, Z. (1989). Modernity and the holocaust. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University PressChristie, R. (1954). Authoritarianism re-examined. In R. Christie & M. Jahoda (Eds.), Studies in the scope and methods of “The Authoritarian Personality” (pp. 123-196). Glencoe, IL: Free PressDiStefano, G. , Roccato, M. (2005). Una banca di item per misurare l’orientamento alla dominanza sociale in Italia [An item bank for measuring social dominance orientation in Italy]. Testing Psicometria Metodologia, 12, 5– 20Duckitt, J. (1989). Authoritarianism and group identification: A new view of an old construct. Political Psychology, 10, 63– 84Duckitt, J. (2001). A dual-process cognitive-motivational theory of ideology and prejudice. In M. P. Zanna (Ed.), Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 33 (pp. 41-113). San Diego, CA: Academic PressDuckitt, J. (2006). Differential effects of right-wing authoritarianism and social dominance orientation on outgroup attitudes and their mediation by threat from and competitiveness to outgroups. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 32, 684– 696Duckitt, J. , Wagner, C. , duPlessis, I. , Birum, I. (2002). The psychological basis of ideology and prejudice: Testing a dual process model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 82, 75– 93Duriez, B. , VanHiel, A. (2002). The march of modern fascism: A comparison of social dominance orientation and authoritarianism. Personality and Individual Differences, 32, 1199– 1213Duriez, B. , VanHiel, A. , Kossowska, M. (2005). Authoritarianism and social dominance in western and eastern Europe: The importance of the sociopolitical context and of political interest and involvement. Political Psychology, 26, 299– 320Feather, N. T. (1996). Reactions to penalties for an offence in relation to authoritarianism, values, perceived responsibility, perceived seriousness, and deservingness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 71, 571– 587Feldman, S. (2003). Enforcing social conformity: A theory of authoritarianism. Political Psychology, 24, 41– 74Fromm, E. (1941). Escape from freedom. New York: Holt, Rinehart & WinstonFunke, F. (2005). The dimensionality of right-wing authoritarianism: Lessons from the dilemma between theory and measurement. Political Psychology, 26, 195– 218Heaven, P. C. L. , Connors, J. R. (2001). A note on the value correlates of social dominance and right-wing authoritarianism. Personality and Individual Differences, 31, 925– 930Hu, L. , Bentler, P. M. (1998). Fit indices in covariance structure modelling: Sensitivity to underparameterized model misspecification. Psychological Methods, 3, 424– 453Hu, L. , Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling, 6, 1– 55Jöreskog, K. G. , Sörbom, D. (1996). LISREL 8 user’s reference guide. Chicago: Scientific Software InternationalKirscht, J. P. , Dillehay, R. C. (1967). Dimensions of authoritarianism: A review of research and theory. Lexington, KY: University of Kentucky PressKluckhohn, C. (1951). Values and value-orientations in the theory of action. In T. Parsons & E. A. Shils (Eds.), Toward a general theory of action (pp. 388-433). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University PressKoonz, C. (2003). The Nazi conscience. Cambridge, MA: Belknap PressLippa, R. , Arad, S. (1999). Gender, personality, and prejudice: The display of authoritarianism and social dominance in interviews with college men and women. Journal of Research in Personality, 33, 463– 493Meloen, J. (1991). The fortieth anniversary of “The Authoritarian Personality.”. Politics and the Individual, 1, 119– 127Meloen, J. (1993). The F scale as a predictor of fascism: An overview of 40 years of authoritarianism research. In W. F. Stone, G. Lederer, & R. Christie (Eds.), Strength and weakness. The Authoritarian Personality today (pp. 47-69). New York: SpringerMilgram, S. (1974). Obedience to authority: An experimental view. New York: Harper & RowMolinari, L. (2001). Social representations of children’s rights: The point of view of adolescents. Swiss Journal of Psychology, 60, 231– 243Molinari, L. , Melotti, G. , Emiliani, F. (2002). Children’s rights in educational relationships. European Journal of Educational Psychology, 17, 139– 155Opotow, S. (1990). Moral exclusion and injustice: An overview. Journal of Social Issues, 46, 1– 20Opotow, S. (1995). Drawing the line. Social categorization, moral exclusion, and the scope of justice. In B. B. Bunker & J. Z. Rubin (Eds.), Conflict, cooperation & justice (pp. 347-369). San Francisco: Jossey-BassPassini, S. (2003). Costruzione e validazione di una scala sull’autoritarismo [Construction and validation of a questionnaire on authoritarianism]. Testing Psicometria Metodologia, 10, 79– 98Passini, S. (2005). Costruzione e validazione di una scala sull’esclusione morale [Construction and validation of a moral exclusion scale]. Testing Psicometria Metodologia, 12, 21– 34Pratto, F. , Sidanius, J. , Stallworth, L. M. , Malle, B. F. (1994). Social dominance orientation: A personality variable predicting social and political attitudes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67, 741– 763Reich, W. (1933). Massenpsychologie des Faschismus [Mass psychology of Fascism.]. Copenhague, Denmark: Verlag für SexualpolitikRim, Y. (1970). Values and attitudes. Personality: An International Journal, 1, 243– 250Robinson, J. P. , Shaver, P. R. , Wrightsman, L. W. (1999). Measures of political attitudes. London: Academic PressRoccato, M. (2003). Le tendenze antidemocratiche. Psicologia sociale dell’autoritarismo [Antidemocratic trends. The social psychology of authoritarianism]. Torino, Italy: Edizioni di ComunitàRoccato, M. , Ricolfi, L. (2005). On the correlation between right-wing authoritarianism and social dominance orientation. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 27, 187– 200Rohan, M. J. , Zanna, M. P. (1996). Value transmission in families. In C. Seligman, J. M. Olson & M. P. Zanna (Eds.), The psychology of values. The Ontario symposium, Vol. 8 (pp. 253-276). Hillsdale, NJ: ErlbaumRokeach, M. (1973). The nature of human values. New York: Free PressSamelson, F. (1993). The authoritarian character from Berlin to Berkeley and beyond: The odyssey of a problem. In W. F. Stone, G. Lederer, & R. Christie (Eds.), Strength and weakness: The Authoritarian Personality today (pp. 22-46). New York: SpringerSchwartz, S. H. (1992). Universals in the content and structure of values: Theoretical advances and empirical tests in 20 countries. In M. P. Zanna (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (pp. 1-65). San Diego, CA: Academic PressSidanius, J. , Pratto, F. (1999). Social dominance: An intergroup theory of social hierarchy and oppression. New York: Cambridge University PressSmith, M. B. (1997). The Authoritarian Personality: A re-review 46 years later. Political Psychology, 18, 159– 163Staub, E. (1989). The roots of evil: The origin of genocide and other group violence. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University PressStone, W. F. (1993). Psychodynamics, cognitive functioning, or group orientation: Research and theory in the 1980s. In W. F. Stone, G. Lederer, & R. Christie (Eds.), Strength and weakness: The Authoritarian Personality today (pp. 159-181). New York: SpringerStone, W. F. , Lederer, G. , Christie, R. (1993). Strength and weakness: The Authoritarian Personality today, New York: SpringerVanHiel, A. , Mervielde, I. (2002). Explaining conservative beliefs and political preferences: A comparison of social dominance orientation and authoritarianism. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 32, 965– 976Whitley, B. E. (1999). Right-wing authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, and prejudice. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77, 126– 134
