Unravelling Quasi–Causal Environmental Effects via Phenotypic and Genetically Informed Multi–Rater Models: The Case of Differential Parenting and Authoritarianism

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Zapko–Willmes ◽  
Rainer Riemann ◽  
Christian Kandler

This study investigated the association between different experiences of parenting and individual right–wing authoritarianism (RWA) using twin family data comprising self– and informant reports. We applied a design that allowed us to examine whether the link between retrospective assessments of parenting and current RWA is effectively environmental or whether the association is attributable to genetic influences. We hypothesized that an authoritarian parenting style (low responsiveness and high demandingness) provided by the parents is associated with higher offspring's RWA, and that this association is similar for both twin siblings as a function of their genetic relatedness and shared familial experiences—that is, genotype–environment correlation. A sample of 875 twins as well as 319 mothers and 268 fathers completed a questionnaire on twins’ parental environment and their own authoritarian attitudes. Additionally, 1322 well–informed peers assessed twins’ RWA. Applying structural equation modelling, we found twins’ experiences of parental responsiveness and demandingness to be positively associated with self–reported and peer–reported RWA. The correlation between responsiveness and RWA was similar for both twins due to their genetic similarity, whereas twin differences in demandingness were positively associated with twin differences in RWA, indicating quasi–causal environmental effects. Implications for the interdependence between parenting and RWA are discussed. Copyright © 2018 European Association of Personality Psychology

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luigi Leone ◽  
Marta Desimoni ◽  
Antonio Chirumbolo

Previous research has suggested that the association between right–wing authoritarianism (RWA) and social dominance orientation (SDO) is moderated by political interest and involvement. It is here hypothesized that interest also strengthens the association of authoritarianism with political self–placement and that higher levels of interest in politics shape voting choices that are more strongly associated with authoritarianism. Authoritarianism was defined as a second–order factor reflecting onto SDO and RWA in a structural equation modelling approach. In Study 1 (two samples, total N = 873), interest was found to moderate the impact of authoritarianism, as hypothesized. In Study 2 (N = 721), a higher order interaction involving interest and political expertise was detected. These results were obtained with different measures and in different electoral campaigns. The motivational and cognitive underpinnings of the moderating effects are discussed. Copyright © 2012 European Association of Personality Psychology.


2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clara Cantal ◽  
Taciano L. Milfont ◽  
Marc S. Wilson ◽  
Valdiney V. Gouveia

Previous research within a dual–process cognitive–motivational theory of ideology and prejudice has indicated that dimensions of generalized prejudice are structured around attitudes towards dangerous, derogated and dissident groups, and that these prejudice dimensions are differentially predicted by the ideological attitudes of Right–Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) and Social Dominance Orientation (SDO). However, to date, these findings have been restricted to New Zealand samples. We describe two studies examining whether the structure of prejudiced attitudes and the differential prediction by RWA and SDO replicate in the Brazilian context, incorporating context–relevant examples of each group—politicians, those from the northeast region of Brazil, and environmentalists. Results broadly supported the three–factor structure of dangerous, derogated, and dissident groups. Consistent with previous research, regression and structural equation analyses showed that RWA explained prejudice against dangerous groups, SDO explained prejudice against derogated groups, and both RWA and SDO explained prejudice against dissident groups. This research provides some evidence for the generalizability of the three–dimensional structure of generalized prejudice and differential prediction by RWA and SDO. Copyright © 2014 European Association of Personality Psychology


2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabrina J. Mayer ◽  
Carl C. Berning ◽  
David Johann

This paper offers an explanation of the link between grandiose narcissism and support for radical right parties. Drawing on representative data of the GESIS Panel ( N = 2827), focusing on support for the German radical right populist party Alternative for Germany in 2016 and treating grandiose narcissism as a two–dimensional concept, it is shown that the effects of grandiose narcissism are indirect rather than direct. The paper also reveals that it is mainly narcissistic rivalry that accounts for radical right party support, whereas narcissistic admiration has a protecting relationship. Finally, our results indicate that the indirect effects of narcissistic rivalry on radical right party support via right–wing authoritarianism and social dominance orientation, respectively, are mediated by anti–immigrant sentiment. All in all, our results suggest that in studies on ideological orientations and voting behaviour, both dimensions of grandiose narcissism should be considered due to their contradictory relationship. Moreover, our findings indicate that the success of radical right parties might be the expression of personality dispositions of some parts of the electorate. © 2020 The Authors. European Journal of Personality published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Association of Personality Psychology


2006 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arne Roets ◽  
Alain Van Hiel ◽  
Ilse Cornelis

Previous research reported that Right‐Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) and Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) constitute the individual's ideological space and are strong dispositional determinants of racism. In the present study, materialism was examined as a third social attitude and a potential predictor of racism. In a student (N = 183) and heterogeneous adult sample (N = 176) analyses revealed that RWA, SDO and materialism constitute three separate dimensions and that each of them explains a unique part of the variance in racism. In addition, Structural Equation Modelling showed that the relationship between materialism and racism was largely mediated by selfish motives. In the discussion we go further into the role of materialism as a third social attitudinal dimension. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolai Haahjem Eftedal ◽  
Thomas Haarklau Kleppestø ◽  
Nikolai Olavi Czajkowski ◽  
Espen Moen Eilertsen ◽  
Jennifer Sheehy-Skeffington ◽  
...  

While it is well-established that education and Right Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) are quite strongly negatively correlated, it is still unclear why this is the case. There could be causal effects between these variables, in one or both directions, which can be either direct or mediated. And there could also be confounding third variables influencing their association. Using a sample of 320 monozygotic- and 312 dizygotic twin pairs, we were able to control for confounding influences from both genes and the family-environment, increasing our ability to infer causal effects. Furthermore, we investigate the roles of perceived Socio-Economic Status (SES) in both childhood and adulthood; SES in childhood could be a confound between education and RWA, and SES in adulthood could be a mediator. We explore these hypotheses with ACE-β models, which extend the logic of discordant twin designs into a structural equation framework. Our results are consistent with a causal effect of education to reduce RWA. SES in adulthood did not mediate this effect. We find that the negative correlation between RWA and education is further amplified by confounding influences, mostly from the family environment, which are partly associated with SES.


2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 227-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher M. Federico ◽  
Pierce Ekstrom ◽  
Michal Reifen Tagar ◽  
Allison L. Williams

Moral foundations theory argues that morality encompasses both group–preserving binding concerns about in–group loyalty, authority and purity and individualizing concerns about harm avoidance and fairness. Although studies have examined the relationship between sociopolitical attitudes and the moral foundations, the relationship between individual differences in epistemic motivation—as indexed by need for cognitive closure—and moral intuition remains unexplored. Given the role of groups in providing epistemic security, we hypothesized that the need for closure would be most strongly related to support for the foundations most central to the regulation of group ties, that is, the binding foundations as opposed to the individualizing ones. Data from three samples provided evidence for this. Unpacking this pattern, we also found that those high in need for closure endorsed all foundations, whereas those low in need for closure emphasized only the individualizing ones. Finally, we found that the relationship between need for closure and the binding foundations was mediated by right–wing authoritarianism, an orientation closely linked to a desire for the preservation of conventional in–group morality. Copyright © 2016 European Association of Personality Psychology


2008 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 219-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Roccato

The paper presents the results of a theoretical and empirical study of the relations between right-wing authoritarianism (RWA), social dominance orientation (SDO), and attachment. A study on 353 Italian university students in Turin was conducted. A correlation between RWA and SDO was found, and a structural equation model of the origins of RWA and SDO was built using attachment style as a principal predictor of the two constructs. Several psychosocial variables (course of studies undertaken, group participation, and importance of religion) were also used as predictors. The major results were: (a) RWA and SDO correlate positively, but not very strongly; (b) attachment styles directly and/or indirectly influence RWA and SDO; and (c) RWA and SDO each have specific predictors, but also share one predictor, importance of religion, which raises RWA scores, but lowers SDO scores. The limits and future developments of this research are discussed.


2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Bäckström ◽  
Fredrik Björklund

Structural equation modeling on questionnaire data showed that prejudice toward different target groups can be represented in terms of a general prejudice factor. Distinction of classical and modern prejudice only increased model fit marginally. In two separate samples (paper and pencil vs. Internet) several structural models of the relationship between key individual difference variables and prejudice were tested, revealing highly similar results. Social dominance orientation, empathy, and right-wing authoritarianism had direct effects on generalized prejudice. The effect of participant sex on generalized prejudice, where the men scored higher, was largely mediated by empathy. The benefit of including empathy in structural models of prejudice is emphasized.


2009 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Michael Crowson

The purpose of this study was to test an integrative model in which worldview beliefs were treated as antecedents of right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) and social dominance orientation (SDO), and two sets of attitudes related to the War on Terror: endorsement of restrictions on human rights/civil liberties and support for the US military invasion of Iraq in 2003. Dangerous and competitive world beliefs significantly predicted RWA and SDO, respectively, during structural equation modeling. Whereas both RWA and SDO predicted endorsement of human rights/civil liberties attitudes, only RWA predicted support for military aggression against Iraq. Tests of indirect effects suggested that RWA mediated the effects of dangerous world beliefs on attitudes toward human rights/civil liberties and support for military aggression, whereas SDO mediated the effects of competitive world beliefs on attitudes toward human rights/civil liberties only.


2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 366-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Cichocka ◽  
Kristof Dhont ◽  
Arti P. Makwana ◽  
Mitja Back

Previous research has obtained mixed findings as to whether feelings of self–worth are positively or negatively related to right–wing ideological beliefs and prejudice. We propose to clarify the link between self–worth and ideology by distinguishing between narcissistic and non–narcissistic self–evaluations as well as between different dimensions of ideological attitudes. Four studies, conducted in three different socio–political contexts: the UK (Study 1, N = 422), the US (Studies 2 and 3, Ns = 471 and 289, respectively), and Poland (Study 4, N = 775), investigated the associations between narcissistic and non–narcissistic self–evaluations, social dominance orientation (SDO), right–wing authoritarianism (RWA), and ethnic prejudice. Confirming our hypotheses, the results consistently showed that after controlling for self–esteem, narcissistic self–evaluation was positively associated with SDO (accounting for RWA), yet negatively associated with RWA (accounting for SDO). These associations were similar after controlling for psychopathy and Machiavellianism (Study 3) as well as collective narcissism and Big Five personality characteristics (Study 4). Studies 2–4 additionally demonstrated that narcissistic self–evaluation was indirectly positively associated with prejudice through higher SDO (free of RWA) but indirectly negatively associated with prejudice through lower RWA (free of SDO). Implications for understanding the role of self–evaluation in right–wing ideological attitudes and prejudice are discussed. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. European Journal of Personality published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Association of Personality Psychology


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document