A motivational model of authoritarianism: Integrating personal and situational determinants
Abstract
We describe and test a collective security model of authoritarianism. This model sees Right Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) as directly caused by collective security motivation (CSM), which is in turn influenced jointly by personality (with its effects mediated through group identification and dangerous world beliefs) and social threat (with its effects mediated through dangerous world beliefs). Two studies tested this model using student samples—one was correlational (N = 218), while the other included an experimental manipulation of threat using future scenarios (N = 136). Structural equation analyses partially supported the model suggesting that CSM fully mediated the effects of threat and group identification on RWA, but only partially mediated the effect of personality, which also had important direct effects.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
An authoritarian personality serves a self-protective function.
“It has been suggested that an authoritarian personality serves a self-protective function [54].”
From Pathogens and Politics: Further Evidence That Parasite Prevalence Predicts Authoritarianism (2013) · cites this paper as [54]
Cites
Hu, L., & Bentler, P. M. (1999) · Structural Equation Modeling A Multidisciplinary Journal · doi:10.1080/10705519909540118 · Cited by 108,788 · see citing works
Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (1983) · Cited by 79,888 · see citing works
Model selection and multimodel inference: a practical information-theoretic approach.
Guthery, F. S., Burnham, K. P., & Anderson, D. R. (2003) · The Journal of Wildlife Management · doi:10.2307/3802723 · Cited by 41,495 · see citing works
(1998) · Cited by 36,049 · see citing works
Advances In Experimental Social Psychology
(2022) · Advances in experimental social psychology · doi:10.1016/s0065-2601(22)x0002-6 · Cited by 22,559 · see citing works
Schwartz, S. H. (1992) · Advances in Experimental Social Psychology · doi:10.1016/s0065-2601(08)60281-6 · Cited by 14,619 · see citing works
Jurczak, C., Adorno, T., Frenkel-Brunswik, Levinson, D., & Nevitt-Sanford, R. (1950) · The American Catholic Sociological Review · doi:10.2307/3707481 · Cited by 8,397 · see citing works
To parcel or not to parcel: Exploring the question, weighing the merits
Little, T. D., Cunningham, W. A., Shahar, G., & Widaman, K. F. (2002) · Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal · doi:10.1207/s15328007sem0902_1 · Cited by 6,552 · see citing works
Adorno, T. W., Frenkel-Bruνswik, E., Levinson, D. M., & Sandford, R. N. (2001) · SAGE Publications Ltd eBooks · doi:10.4135/9781446220986.n8 · Cited by 6,459 · see citing works
A Beginner's Guide to Structural Equation Modeling
Schumacker, R. E., & Lomax, R. G. (2004) · doi:10.4324/9781410610904 · Cited by 6,235 · see citing works
Analysis of Incomplete Multivariate Data
Schafer, J. L. (1997) · doi:10.1201/9781439821862 · Cited by 6,012 · see citing works
Are There Universal Aspects in the Structure and Contents of Human Values?
Schwartz, S. H. (1994) · Journal of Social Issues · doi:10.1111/j.1540-4560.1994.tb01196.x · Cited by 5,803 · see citing works
Analysis of Incomplete Multivariate Data
Booth, D. E., & Schafer, J. L. (2000) · Technometrics · doi:10.2307/1271466 · Cited by 5,627 · see citing works
Political conservatism as motivated social cognition.
Jost, J. T., Glaser, J., Kruglanski, A. W., & Sulloway, F. J. (2003) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.129.3.339 · Cited by 4,904 · see citing works
Social dominance orientation: A personality variable predicting social and political attitudes.
Pratto, F., Sidanius, J., Stallworth, L. M., & Malle, B. (1994) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.67.4.741 · Cited by 4,872 · see citing works
Ethnic identity in adolescents and adults: Review of research.
Phinney, J. S. (1990) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.108.3.499 · Cited by 3,480 · see citing works
(1999) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 3,151 · see citing works
A Collective Self-Esteem Scale: Self-Evaluation of One’s Social Identity
Luhtanen, R., & Crocker, J. (1992) · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin · doi:10.1177/0146167292183006 · Cited by 3,057 · see citing works
Personality Psychology in Europe
Vera-Bermudez, J., Raad, D. B., de Vries, J., García, A. M. P., Sanchez-Elvita, A., & Heck, G. V. (1997) · University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) · Cited by 2,462 · see citing works
Nebraska Symposium on Motivation, 1961
Whitehorn, J. C. (1963) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/ajp.119.9.904 · Cited by 2,361 · see citing works
Enemies of freedom: understanding right-wing authoritarianism
(1989) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.26-3934 · Cited by 1,558 · see citing works
Eysenck, H. J. (1982) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/0191-8869(82)90067-8 · Cited by 1,467 · see citing works
The Big Five Personality Factors and Personal Values
Roccas, S., Sagiv, L., Schwartz, S. H., & Knafo‐Noam, A. (2002) · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin · doi:10.1177/0146167202289008 · Cited by 1,457 · see citing works
A dual-process cognitive-motivational theory of ideology and prejudice
Duckitt, J. (2001) · Advances in Experimental Social Psychology · doi:10.1016/s0065-2601(01)80004-6 · Cited by 1,416 · see citing works
Self-citationGreenberg, J., Pyszczynski, T., Solomon, S., Rosenblatt, A., Veeder, M., Kirkland, S., & Lyon, D. (1990) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.58.2.308 · Cited by 1,412 · see citing works
The Other “Authoritarian Personality”
Altemeyer, B. (1998) · Advances in experimental social psychology · doi:10.1016/s0065-2601(08)60382-2 · Cited by 1,412 · see citing works
(1997) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.35-1143 · Cited by 1,288 · see citing works
Altemeyer, B. (1996) · Cited by 1,264 · see citing works
Ward, D. (1982) · American Political Science Review · doi:10.2307/1963836 · Cited by 1,247 · see citing works
Toward a Measure of Patriotic and Nationalistic Attitudes
Kosterman, R., & Feshbach, S. (1989) · Political Psychology · doi:10.2307/3791647 · Cited by 1,225 · see citing works
Personality and Prejudice: A Meta-Analysis and Theoretical Review
Sibley, C. G., & Duckitt, J. H. (2008) · Personality and Social Psychology Review · doi:10.1177/1088868308319226 · Cited by 1,130 · see citing works
Self-citationPersonal need for structure: Individual differences in the desire for simple structure.
Neuberg, S. L., & Newsom, J. T. (1993) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.65.1.113 · Cited by 1,046 · see citing works
Perceived Threat and Authoritarianism
Feldman, S., & Stenner, K. (1997) · Political Psychology · doi:10.1111/0162-895x.00077 · Cited by 1,043 · see citing works
Hogg, M. A. (2000) · European Review of Social Psychology · doi:10.1080/14792772043000040 · Cited by 1,015 · see citing works
The Other "Authoritarian Personality"
Altemeyer, B. (2004) · Psychology Press eBooks · doi:10.4324/9780203505984-4 · Cited by 1,004 · see citing works
The psychological bases of ideology and prejudice: Testing a dual process model.
Duckitt, J. H., Wagner, C., du Plessis, I., & Birum, I. (2002) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.83.1.75 · Cited by 877 · see citing works
Self-citationEnforcing Social Conformity: A Theory of Authoritarianism
Feldman, S. (2003) · Political Psychology · doi:10.1111/0162-895x.00316 · Cited by 854 · see citing works
Explaining intergroup differentiation in an industrial organization
Brown, R. J., Condor, S., Mathews, A. L., Wade, G., & WILLIAMS, J. (1986) · Journal of Occupational Psychology · doi:10.1111/j.2044-8325.1986.tb00230.x · Cited by 689 · see citing works
Duckitt, J. H. (2006) · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin · doi:10.1177/0146167205284282 · Cited by 623 · see citing works
Self-citationOne hundred years of eruptions of house mice in Australia - a natural biological curio
Singleton, G. R., Brown, P., Pech, R. P., Jacob, J., MUTZE, G. J., & Krebs, C. J. (2005) · Biological Journal of the Linnean Society · doi:10.1111/j.1095-8312.2005.00458.x · Cited by 610 · see citing works
Right-wing authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, and prejudice.
Whitley, B. E. (1999) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.77.1.126 · Cited by 538 · see citing works
Authoritarianism and Group Identification: A New View of an Old Construct
Duckitt, J. H. (1989) · Political Psychology · doi:10.2307/3791588 · Cited by 515 · see citing works
Self-citationThe Impact of Social Threat on Worldview and Ideological Attitudes
Duckitt, J. H., & Fisher, K. (2003) · Political Psychology · doi:10.1111/0162-895x.00322 · Cited by 510 · see citing works
Self-citationThreat and authoritarianism in the United States, 1978-1987.
Doty, R. M., Peterson, B. E., & Winter, D. G. (1991) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037//0022-3514.61.4.629 · Cited by 428 · see citing works
D’Andrade, R. G. (1992) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9781139166515.003 · Cited by 417 · see citing works
Threat and authoritarianism in the United States, 1978-1987
Doty, R. M., Peterson, B. E., & Winter, D. G. (1991) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.61.4.629 · Cited by 329 · see citing works
Hiel, A. V., Pandelaere, M., & Duriez, B. (2004) · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin · doi:10.1177/0146167204264333 · Cited by 320 · see citing works
The march of modern fascism. A comparison of social dominance orientation and authoritarianism
Duriez, B., & Hiel, A. V. (2002) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/s0191-8869(01)00086-1 · Cited by 305 · see citing works
Strauss, C. (1992) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9781139166515.002 · Cited by 264 · see citing works
Threat, authoritarianism, and selective exposure to information
Lavine, H., Lodge, M., & Freitas, K. (2005) · Political Psychology · doi:10.1111/j.1467-9221.2005.00416.x · Cited by 227 · see citing works
Cohrs, J. C., Moschner, B., Maes, J., & Kielmann, S. (2005) · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin · doi:10.1177/0146167205275614 · Cited by 227 · see citing works
Ethnocentrism, Social Identification, and Discrimination
Perreault, S., & Bourhis, R. Y. (1999) · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin · doi:10.1177/0146167299025001008 · Cited by 223 · see citing works
Hiel, A. V., & Mervielde, I. (2002) · Journal of Applied Social Psychology · doi:10.1111/j.1559-1816.2002.tb00250.x · Cited by 211 · see citing works
Economic threat as a determinant of conversion rates in authoritarian and nonauthoritarian churches.
Sales, S. M. (1972) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0033157 · Cited by 209 · see citing works
Ross, M. C. (1993) · Yale University Press eBooks · doi:10.2307/j.ctt1xp3vn1 · Cited by 197 · see citing works
Authoritarianism as a Group Phenomenon
Stellmacher, J., & Petzel, T. P. (2005) · Political Psychology · doi:10.1111/j.1467-9221.2005.00417.x · Cited by 195 · see citing works
The Relationship Between Need for Closure and Conservative Beliefs in Western and Eastern Europe
Kossowska, M., & Hiel, A. V. (2003) · Political Psychology · doi:10.1111/0162-895x.00338 · Cited by 191 · see citing works
Deficiency motivation and growth motivation.
Maslow, A. H. (1962) · D Van Nostrand eBooks · doi:10.1037/10793-003 · Cited by 171 · see citing works
Threat, Authoritarianism, and Voting: An Investigation of Personality and Persuasion
Lavine, H. G., Burgess, D. J., Snyder, M., Transue, J. E., Sullivan, J. L., Haney, B., & Wagner, S. H. (1999) · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin · doi:10.1177/0146167299025003006 · Cited by 156 · see citing works
Separating description and evaluation in the structure of personality attributes.
Saucier, G. (1994) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.66.1.141 · Cited by 139 · see citing works
The evolution of authoritarian processes: Fostering cooperation in large-scale groups.
Kessler, T., & Cohrs, J. C. (2008) · Group Dynamics Theory Research and Practice · doi:10.1037/1089-2699.12.1.73 · Cited by 127 · see citing works
A Dual Group Processes Model of Individual Differences in Prejudice
Kreindler, S. A. (2005) · Personality and Social Psychology Review · doi:10.1207/s15327957pspr0902_1 · Cited by 124 · see citing works
Value transmission in families.
Rohan, M., & Zanna, M. P. (1996) · Cited by 110 · see citing works
Blank, T. (2003) · Political Psychology · doi:10.1111/0162-895x.00328 · Cited by 109 · see citing works
Authoritarianism and Economic Threat: Implications for Political Behavior
Rickert, E. J. (1998) · Political Psychology · doi:10.1111/0162-895x.00128 · Cited by 102 · see citing works
Success and failure as determinants of level of authoritarianism
Sales, S. M., & Friend, K. E. (1973) · Systems Research and Behavioral Science · doi:10.1002/bs.3830180304 · Cited by 95 · see citing works
The Impact of Cognitive Styles on Authoritarianism Based Conservatism and Racism
Cornelis, I., & Hiel, A. V. (2006) · Basic and Applied Social Psychology · doi:10.1207/s15324834basp2801_4 · Cited by 92 · see citing works
Separating description and evaluation in the structure of personality attributes.
Saucier, G. (1994) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037//0022-3514.66.1.141 · Cited by 89 · see citing works
Harmony and Security Value Orientations in Political Evaluation
Braithwaite, V. A. (1997) · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin · doi:10.1177/0146167297234006 · Cited by 82 · see citing works
Dru, V. (2006) · Journal of Experimental Social Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2006.10.008 · Cited by 77 · see citing works
Sorrentino, R. M., & Roney, C. J. R. (1986) · Social Cognition · doi:10.1521/soco.1986.4.4.420 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
Duckitt, J. H., Callaghan, J., & Wagner, C. (2005) · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin · doi:10.1177/0146167204271576 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
Self-citationHeaven, P. C. L., Organ, L.-A., Supavadeeprasit, S., & Leeson, P. (2005) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2005.08.005 · Cited by 69 · see citing works
Threatening Times and Fluctuations in American Church Memberships
McCann, S. J. H. (1999) · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin · doi:10.1177/0146167299025003005 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Demonstrating the effects of unmodeled random measurement error
Rigdon, E. E. (1994) · Structural Equation Modeling A Multidisciplinary Journal · doi:10.1080/10705519409539986 · Cited by 47 · see citing works
Social Identity Theory and the Authoritarian Personality Theory in South Africa
Niens, U., Cairns, E., Finchilescu, G., Foster, D., & Tredoux, C. G. (2003) · South African Journal of Psychology · doi:10.1177/008124630303300206 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Patriotismus - Sozialpsychologische Aspekte
Cohrs, J. C. (2005) · Zeitschrift für Sozialpsychologie · doi:10.1024/0044-3514.36.1.3 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Self-perceived threats to social identity as predictors of right -wing authoritarianism
Allard, L. P. (2005) · Fordham Research Commons (Fordham University) · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Pathogens and Politics: Further Evidence That Parasite Prevalence Predicts Authoritarianism
Murray, D. R., Schaller, M., & Suedfeld, P. (2013) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0062275 · Cited by 182 · see citing works
- Authors
- Jugert, P., & Duckitt, J.
- Affiliations
- Friedrich Schiller University Jena (DE)
- University of Auckland (NZ)
- Venue
- Political Psychology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2009-09-09
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 693-719
- ISSN
- 0162-895X (ISSN-L)
- 1467-9221
- OpenAlex
- W2096306216
- Cited by
- 112
- References
- 78
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 11
- FWCI
- 20.57
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Political Psychology (publishedVersion, public-domain)
- Funders
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Populism, Right-Wing Movements
- Keywords
- right-wing authoritarianism, social danger, group identification, personality, situational determinants
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review