TRUMP AND THE
AUTHORITAIN PERSONALITY
TRUMP AND THE
AUTHORITARIAN PERSONALITY
INDEX
Introduction.
In the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump received about 74 million votes, approximately 46.8% of the popular vote12. The Republican Party has traditionally courted and often won with multiple groups of single-issue voters (The NRA, antiabortionists, wealthy business people, proponents of small government, strong military, isolationists, those against any National Debt, etc. Even though there are overlaps of ideologies, many groups only consider one issue and will put up with the rest to get their one overriding issue. Dissonance Theory tells us that even though they are only interested in one issue, they cannot simultaneously hold incompatible beliefs and will move to accept the whole conservative ideology.
To engage in a debate grounded in data, science, and logic, one must first acknowledge the limitations of other's thought processes. Why do they accept without question an authority figure who embodies their fundamental beliefs? It’s puzzling to see religious individuals embrace a man who blatantly contradicts their core values. Among White Americans who regularly attend religious services, 71% voted for Trump in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. This man has reportedly told 30,000 lies, publicly cheated on his three wives, misused his charity, defrauded his employees and business associates, and committed all of the seven deadly sins. Yet, when faced with this hypocrisy, his followers believe his claims of conspiracy, witch hunts, and shifting blame onto the accusers. I believe the explanation lies in their overriding need for authority. This factor must be considered if one aims to alter one's viewpoints
How do you persuade authoritarian personalities that their leader may be in error?
The number one thing to remember is that you are on a fool's errand. But the stakes are high, and we must try.
Authoritarian personality types are disposed to treat authority figures with unquestioning obedience and respect. They tend to have rigid and conventional beliefs, a fear of a dangerous world, a sense of superiority over others, and a hostility towards those who disagree with them1 2.
Authoritarian leaders often influence their followers by manipulating their fears, prejudices, and emotions to gain their loyalty and support. Authoritarian leaders often exaggerate threats, create enemies, and attack dissenters.
Persuading authoritarian followers can be challenging, as they resist change, evidence, and logic. Some possible strategies are:5 6 7 8:
Establish your authority and credibility, as they are likelier to listen to someone they respect and trust.
Find out what they value and appeal to their interests and goals, rather than trying to change their beliefs or opinions.
Use curiosity and questions to invite them to think for themselves, rather than telling them what to think or do.
Avoid confrontation and criticism, as they can trigger defensiveness and aggression. Instead, use empathy and respect to build rapport and common ground.
Authoritarian Personalities have contempt for the weak and admire high-status or rich individuals. Because they have a high value of a leader who is strong, it may be better to campaign against the authority's weaknesses and point out his weaknesses.
Provide positive feedback and reinforcement when they show signs of openness and flexibility, and acknowledge their concerns and fears.
Voter turnout is the key to nullifying the reign of Extreme Conservatives
Some background *source
About two-thirds (66%) of the voting-eligible population turned out for the 2020 presidential election – the highest rate for any national election since 1900.
White voters without a college degree favored Republican House candidates 66% to 32% in 2022.
For more information and Source(s)
1. Authoritarian personality - Wikipedia
2. 9 Signs of an Authoritarian Personality & How to Deal with It
3. 1.2.3 Authoritarian Personality - Save My Exams
4. What is an Authoritarian Personality Type? - Know Your Archetypes
5. How Authoritarians Leaders Get Away with It | Psychology Today
6. The One Way History Shows Trump’s Personality Cult Will End
7. The Essentials: Persuading People - Harvard Business Review
8. Authoritarian Personality: Followers and Leaders - Minding Therapy
The causes and nature of the Authoritarian personality.
The concept of the "authoritarian personality" was first developed in the mid-20th century by several researchers, notably Theodor Adorno, Else Frenkel-Brunswik, Daniel Levinson, and Nevitt Sanford. Their work, primarily through the book "The Authoritarian Personality" published in 1950, sought to understand the potential for fascist movements in democratic societies. The study attempted to correlate personality traits with the potential for antidemocratic, prejudiced, and fascist beliefs.
I think it is unfortunate that the construct was tied to a political philosophy of Fascism (the F in the F Scale is for Fascism). It is more of a construct of the way that people deal with a complex world. One of the Mantras of various psychology professors I had was, "Ambiguity creates anxiety, and anxiety leads to structure, and the structure is most often authoritarian, which simplifies many issues."
One scale is called Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA), and the second is called the Social Dominance Orientation (SDO). They have proved to be highly reliable in predicting prejudice and other characteristics associated with authoritative personalities.[10] In The Anti-authoritarian Personality (1977) W.P. Kreml found stylistic similarities between authoritarians and anti-authoritarians (dogmatism, rigidity, etc.), and that variable constructs, such as (a) the relative need for order, (b) the relative need for power, (c) the rejection or acceptance of impulse, and (d) extroversion-versus-introversion, differentiated the two types of personality, and could underpin a full-spectrum psycho-political theory.[17]
Causes of the Authoritarian Personality
A major problem in psychology is the fact that the same upbringing can lead to opposite personalities, but there are important trends that can be filtered out statistically.
Several factors contribute to the development of the authoritarian personality:
Childhood Experiences: The roots of authoritarianism are often traced back to childhood. Strict disciplinary practices, conditional love, and a rigid upbringing can shape an individual to become more submissive to authority later in life.
Socialization: Societal norms, values, and beliefs play a role. For instance, societies that value conformity over individuality can foster authoritarian tendencies.
Fear and Insecurity: External threats, either real or perceived, can lead to a desire for order and security, often at the expense of personal freedoms. Those with authoritarian leanings tend to seek strong leaders who promise protection and order.
Cognitive Style: Some researchers argue that people with authoritarian tendencies have a distinct cognitive style, preferring simplicity to complexity, black-and-white thinking, and being uncomfortable with ambiguity.
Genetics and Biology: While the evidence is mixed, some research suggests that there may be genetic or biological predispositions towards certain personality traits, including authoritarianism.
Nature of the Authoritarian Personality
The following are some central characteristics and components associated with the authoritarian personality:
Conformity: High levels of adherence to societal and group norms, often without questioning.
Submissiveness to Authority: A deep-seated respect and obedience towards authority figures, combined with a belief that these figures are inherently correct and should not be challenged.
Aggression: A readiness to be hostile or aggressive towards those who defy societal norms or who are seen as threats, often directed at out-groups.
Conventionalism: A strong belief in traditional values, often combined with a resistance to change and a suspicion of anything different or unconventional.
Stereotyping: A propensity to categorize and judge people based on their group membership rather than individual characteristics.
Superstition and Stereotype: A tendency to believe in fate, think in rigid categories, and view the world in black-and-white terms.
Power and Toughness: A preoccupation with power dynamics, dominance-submission, strong-weak dichotomies, and a belief in the need for strong leadership to overcome threats.
Destructiveness and Cynicism: A generalized hostility and a negative worldview, often combined with a mistrust of human nature.
Projectivity: A tendency to project one's unconscious feelings and fears onto out-groups.
Sexual Repressiveness: Overly rigid views on sexuality and an aversion to non-traditional sexual practices or norms.
Link to, a measure of the Authoritarian personality.
It's important to note that not everyone with one or more of these traits has an authoritarian personality. The concept captures a specific cluster of attitudes and behaviors that tend to co-occur. While the authoritarian personality theory has been influential, it has also been criticized on methodological and conceptual grounds. Some critics argue that it oversimplifies the causes of prejudice and political extremism, or that it is biased in its focus on right-wing authoritarianism and overlooks left-wing equivalents.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-wing_authoritarian_personality
Trump's support from Evangelist
It seems impossible that people with strong moral and religious feelings would support a man who is a lier (30,000 and counting), robs from his Charity, brags about, and has been found guilty in the courts of sexually assaulting women, cheating on his taxes and business dealings, is narcissistic and a braggart d, incites violence by his followers.
A study found, "The more often people went to church, the more likely they were to strongly approve of Trump."
David French of NYT observes that key traits of fundamentalist culture combine three key characteristics: certainty, ferocity, and solidarity. "Certainty is the key building block. The fundamentalist mind isn’t clouded by doubt. In fact, when people are fully captured by the fundamentalist mind-set, they often can’t even conceive of good-faith disagreement."This is one of the basic elements of the authoritarian personality..."Certainty is the key building block. The fundamentalist mind isn’t clouded by doubt. "In fact, when the fundamentalist mindset fully captures people, they often can’t even conceive of good-faith disagreement, and solidarity is what co-olsses the
How Trump's followers fit the characteristics of the authoritarian personality.
The list of causes and nature of an Authoritarian Personality is almost Identical to a description of far-right characteristics.
At the outset, it's important to note that not all followers of Donald Trump, or any other political figure, can be generalized as having the same personality type or motivations. Political movements are diverse, and people are drawn to them for a variety of reasons. However, some political scientists and psychologists have argued that certain authoritarian personality characteristics can be observed in a subset of Trump's base. Here's a breakdown using the characteristics of the authoritarian personality as a reference:
Conformity: Some of Trump's followers have been noted for their strong group identity and group loyalty, particularly at rallies where collective chants and slogans are common.
Submissiveness to Authority: Trump often portrayed himself as a strong leader capable of taking decisive actions, and this image resonated with a subset of his base who appreciated his assertiveness and decisiveness.
Aggression: Some of Trump's rallies have been marked by confrontations and aggressive acts against protesters or journalists. Trump's combative style towards those he perceived as enemies was often echoed by his staunchest supporters.
Conventionalism: Trump's slogan, "Make America Great Again," resonated with those who felt that traditional American values were under threat. This appeal to nostalgia and a perceived "better past" is consistent with conventionalist tendencies.
Stereotyping: Trump's positions on issues like immigration often relied on broad generalizations. Some of his followers adopted these views, associating entire groups with negative stereotypes. (He has a strong appeal to bigots and segregationists. They love him because "he tells it like it is"; meaning he says what they are afraid to say)
Power and Toughness: Trump's emphasis on "winning," whether in economics, international relations, or domestic politics, appealed to those who valued power and toughness. His criticism of perceived "weakness" in prior administrations or other politicians may also resonate with this characteristic.
Destructiveness and Cynicism: Some of Trump's supporters were drawn to his message because of a profound dissatisfaction with the "establishment" and a desire to disrupt the status quo.
Projectivity: Some supporters perceived threats from specific out-groups, such as immigrants or foreign nations, as being responsible for personal or national challenges.
Sexual Repressiveness: Trump's support from certain evangelical groups, despite his personal controversies, can be seen in part as a transactional relationship based on policy positions, such as those concerning abortion rights and LGBTQ+ rights.
However, while these characteristics might be observed in some of Trump's supporters, it's crucial to approach this topic with nuance:
Not all Trump supporters exhibit these traits, and not all who exhibit these traits are Trump supporters.
Many individuals supported Trump based on policy positions, economic reasons, party loyalty, or other factors unrelated to authoritarian personality traits.
The concept of the authoritarian personality itself has critics who believe it's an oversimplification or that it's biased.
Note: It's always essential to avoid overly broad generalizations and to approach such subjects with a commitment to understanding complexity and diversity.
Summary of the psychopath/sociopath scale on the MMPI
and its validity and reliability: /source
Psychopath/sociopath scale: This is also known as Scale 4 (Psychopathic Deviate) on the MMPI. It measures antisocial behaviors and attitudes, such as impulsivity, aggression, hostility, alienation, and disregard for social norms and authority. A high score on this scale indicates a tendency toward psychopathy or sociopathy, which are personality disorders characterized by a lack of empathy, remorse, and conscience12.
Validity: This refers to how well the scale measures what it is supposed to measure, i.e., psychopathy or sociopathy. The validity of Scale 4 has been supported by various studies that show its correlation with other measures of psychopathy, such as the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) and the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (SRP) . However, some limitations of the scale include its overlap with other scales, such as Scale 9 (Hypomania), and its sensitivity to response styles, such as social desirability and faking bad .
Reliability: This refers to how consistent and dependable the scale is, i.e., whether it produces the same results when repeated under the same conditions. Various methods, such as test-retest, internal consistency, and inter-rater reliability have assessed the reliability of Scale 4. The results indicate that Scale 4 has moderate to high reliability, depending on the version of the MMPI and the sample used . However, some factors that may affect the reliability of the scale include the length of the test interval, the stability of the construct, and the heterogeneity of the items.
Factor Analysis: Factor analyses of the F-scale always show the measure to be multidimensional, but the factors are always difficult to interpret and never cleanly correspond to the hypothesized components, Meaning that the traits do not always hang together. Still, there does seem to be a pattern in the Trump followers.
Factor Analysis Factor analysis of personality scores is a statistical method that can identify the main dimensions and find traits that seem to meld together that explain the variation in people’s personality traits. It can help reduce a large number of personality traits into a smaller number of factors that are more meaningful and easier to measure>
Donald Trump, though he is often called an Authority. He does not necessarily fit the characteristics of an Authoritarian Personality.
He has all of the underlying characteristics of a psychopath ( now called an antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) as described in the DMS 3 and later. (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM ))
Symptoms of a sociopath/psychopath:
Boldness, superficial charm, pathological lying, lack of empathy or remorse, inclination to violence and psychological manipulation, impulsivity, narcissism
The checklist gives each 3 points and 30 points to fit the diagnoses. Thus only 10
Failure to conform to basic social norms, often in ways that violate the law
Repeated violation of the physical or emotional rights of others
Lack of stability in job and home life; may go through long periods of unemployment, for example, even in localities or situations where jobs are readily available
Irritability and aggression; may get into frequent fights
Lack of remorse after harming someone or their property
Consistent irresponsibility
Recklessness, impulsivity
Deceitfulness
Symptoms: Boldness, superficial charm, pathological lying, lack of empathy or remorse, inclination to violence and psychological manipulation, impulsivity, narcissism
Summary of the authoritarian personality scale on the MMPI, and its validity and reliability: Source
The authoritarian personality scale is a measure of the tendency to adhere to rigid and conventional values, to submit to authority figures, and to be hostile to those who are different or deviant.
The scale was developed by Adorno et al. (1950) as part of their study of the psychological roots of fascism and anti-Semitism. They used a combination of clinical interviews, projective tests, and self-report questionnaires to identify nine dimensions of the authoritarian personality: conventionalism, authoritarian submission, authoritarian aggression, anti-intraception, superstition and stereotypy, power and toughness, destructiveness and cynicism, projectivity, and sex.
The scale was adapted for the MMPI by Christie and Jahoda (1954), who selected 30 items from the original F-scale (Fascism scale) that correlated highly with the total score and had good discriminant validity. They also added 10 items from the MMPI that measured related constructs, such as ethnocentrism and conservatism. The resulting 40-item scale was called the A-scale (Authoritarianism scale).
The A-scale has been used to study the relationship between authoritarianism and various psychological and social phenomena, such as prejudice, aggression, conformity, obedience, personality disorders, and political attitudes. However, the scale has also been criticized for its methodological and conceptual limitations, such as acquiescence bias, social desirability bias, lack of construct validity, and ideological bias.
The validity and reliability of the A-scale have been examined by several studies, with mixed results. Some studies have found evidence of convergent and discriminant validity, as well as internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Other studies have questioned the validity and reliability of the scale, especially in cross-cultural and contemporary contexts. For example, Altemeyer (1981) developed a revised version of the scale, called the RWA-scale (Right-Wing Authoritarianism scale), which he claimed to have better psychometric properties and theoretical coherence. He also argued that the A-scale confounded authoritarianism with conservatism, and that the RWA-scale measured three distinct components of authoritarianism: authoritarian submission, authoritarian aggression, and conventionalism.
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Factor analysis is a statistical technique that can be used to identify the underlying dimensions or factors that account for the correlations among a set of variables. It can be applied to the study of personality traits, such as the authoritarian personality, to reveal the structure and organization of the personality construct.
One of the earliest and most influential applications of factor analysis to the authoritarian personality was by Adorno et al. (1950), who developed the F-scale (Fascism scale) to measure the authoritarian personality. They used factor analysis to identify nine dimensions of the authoritarian personality, such as conventionalism, authoritarian submission, authoritarian aggression, anti-intraception, superstition, power and toughness, destructiveness and cynicism, projectivity, and sex. However, their scale and methodology were criticized for various reasons, such as acquiescence bias, social desirability bias, lack of construct validity, and ideological bias1.
Another application of factor analysis to the authoritarian personality was by Christie and Jahoda (1954), who adapted the F-scale for the MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) and created the A-scale (Authoritarianism scale). They used factor analysis to select 30 items from the F-scale and 10 items from the MMPI that had high correlations with the total score and good discriminant validity. Their scale was more psychometrically sound and less ideologically biased than the F-scale2.
A more recent and widely used application of factor analysis to the authoritarian personality was by Altemeyer (1981), who developed the RWA-scale (Right-Wing Authoritarianism scale) as a revision of the F-scale and the A-scale. He used factor analysis to reduce the number of items to 20 and to identify three components of the authoritarian personality: authoritarian submission, authoritarian aggression, and conventionalism. He also demonstrated the validity and reliability of his scale across different samples and cultures3.
Under three factors. It is scored on a three-point scale which defines severe psychopathy with a score ≥30. The items are as follows:\
Interpersonal dimension
• Glibness/superficial charm • Grandiose sense of self-worth • Pathological lying • Conning/manipulative • Lack of remorse or guilt • Shallow affect • Callous/lack of empathy • Failure to accept responsibility for own actions Affective dimension • Need for stimulation/-proneness to boredom • Parasitic lifestyle • Poor behavioral controls • Early behavioral problems • Lack of realistic, long-term goals • Impulsivity • Irresponsibility • Juvenile delinquency • Revocation of conditional release.