Social Attitudes: Right-Wing Attitudes and Religiosity

Key Themes

• Right-wing attitudes: Refers to a spectrum of social, political, and economic positions often characterized by a preference for tradition, authority, and a hierarchical society.

• Authoritarianism: Describes a political philosophy emphasizing strong, central control, maintaining social order, and often suppressing dissent.

• Conservatism: A political and social ideology advocating for the preservation of traditional institutions and values.

• Social dominance: Involves interaction dynamics that favor dominant groups over subordinate ones and foster inequality.

• Religiosity: The intensity of religious belief and behavior, influencing various personal and social outcomes.

Learning Outcomes

• Define and measure right-wing attitudes and religiosity.

• Relate personality and individual differences to conservatism and religiosity, providing insights into individual behavior and societal outcomes.

• Present supporting or detracting evidence for each theory, enhancing critical analysis of existing literature.

• Assess strengths and weaknesses of each research area to understand the complexities of personality and political ideologies.

Introduction

Right-wing attitudes and religion significantly shape modern life, influencing societal norms and individual behavior. Personality and individual differences theories provide a lens through which these phenomena can be examined, focusing on not just mental health impacts but the broader social implications.

Right-Wing Authoritarianism, Conservatism, and Social Dominance

The rise of fascism in early 20th-century Germany exemplifies the dangers of unchecked right-wing ideologies, attributed to a strong national identity, manipulation of political systems through propaganda, and societal unrest exacerbated by economic instability.

Authoritarianism

• Definition: Right-wing behaviors characterized by excessive conformity, intolerance of diversity, and rigid, often stereotypical thinking (Adorno et al., 1950).

• Origins: Often rooted in experiences of strict upbringing and societal pressures, leading to prejudiced views against outgroups.

• Theoretical View: A psychodynamic perspective emphasizes the role of both conscious beliefs and unconscious motivations in shaping authoritarian personalities.

Adorno's View

Adorno posited that authoritarianism manifests as a submission to authority, with displaced aggression often aimed at marginalized social groups.

Measurement

• California F Scale: Designed to assess authoritarianism, measuring attitudes towards societal roles and hierarchies. Clear items reflect a value system favoring authority over creativity.

Criticisms of the F Scale

The F Scale is criticized for perpetuating outdated myths about authoritarian behavior and may not accurately reflect current social attitudes or complexities.

Altemeyer's Right-Wing Authoritarianism

• Definition: Encompasses acceptance of authority abuse, excessive trust in government, prejudice against various social sub-groups, and a tendency towards dogmatism.

• Measurement: Utilizes a 20-item scale to evaluate traits correlating with right-wing authoritarianism, finding significant behavioral patterns among respondents.

Characteristics

Individuals with high right-wing authoritarian tendencies often show cognitive rigidity, agree with superior views, and display inconsistency in their reasoning, suggesting a lack of sophisticated cognitive processing.

Altemeyer's Approach

His revitalized research emphasizes cognitive processes and how right-wing authoritarians interpret and respond to information surrounding socio-political contexts.

Conservatism

Glenn D. Wilson's Work

Wilson contributed significantly to the psychological literature on right-wing attitudes, creating a framework for understanding the 'conservative type' which encapsulates various conservative attitudes that manifest in society.

Conservative Attitudes

Traits include:

• Religious fundamentalism: Strong adherence to religious doctrines.

• Pro-establishment politics: Support for existing political structures.

• Militarism and intolerance: Advocacy for strong military presence, often coupled with discrimination against minority groups.

• Conventional tastes: Preference for traditional norms in art and lifestyle choices.

Measurement

The Wilson-Patterson Attitude Inventory (WPAI) gauges agreement with conservative ideologies, helping researchers identify core beliefs among individuals.

Wilson's Model

Wilson identifies conservatism versus liberalism as the primary dimension, supplemented by ethnocentrism and anti-hedonism, providing a multifaceted view of conservative dispositions.

Left-Wing Authoritarianism

Debate

Questions persist about whether authoritarianism is exclusively a feature of right-wing beliefs. Altemeyer posits that left-wing authoritarianism is largely a myth, but studies like those of Duriez et al. indicate its existence among left-wing extremists in Western European culture.

Dynamic Theory of Conservatism

This theory suggests that conservatives often react to perceived threats with heightened anxiety and rigidity. Fear of uncertainty may lead to superstitious behavior, while a fear of social chaos can result in the embracing of conservative political ideologies.

Social Dominance Orientation

Social dominance theory explores systemic inequalities, explaining why certain groups may face discrimination in various social contexts, such as housing and justice.

Measurement

Investigates personal attitudes relating to social hierarchies, with higher scores indicating a preference for maintaining inequality among groups.

Right-Wing Attitudes and Personality

Split in Literature

Research diverges geographically, with the UK focusing on Eysenck's model of personality in relation to conservatism, while US and European studies explore authoritarianism and social dominance through the five-factor personality model.

Five-Factor Theory of Personality and Conservatism

Findings indicate:

• Right-wing attitudes correlate negatively with openness to new experiences.

• Higher conscientiousness is linked with conservative beliefs, suggesting a potential for lower cultural engagement and creativity.

Critical Consideration of Right-Wing Attitudes Theory

Obstacles

Understanding right-wing attitudes is complicated by cultural differences, and the evolving nature of conservatism poses challenges in maintaining valid comparative measures across time.

Right-Wing Authoritarianism and Social Dominance Orientation

The literature suggests rigid thinking patterns among individuals with right-wing authoritarian traits. Those high in social dominance orientation often exhibit uncooperative, cold, and aggressive behaviors, leading to societal divisiveness.

Religion

Dimensions of Religiosity

Religiosity encompasses a variety of meanings and consequences as it pertains to individuals' lives, heavily influenced by personal beliefs, societal norms, and coping strategies.

Religious Orientation

Two approaches:

• Intrinsic orientation involves a deep personal commitment to religion.

• Extrinsic orientation signifies a use of religion for social standing or consolation in times of need.

Religious Coping

• Positive coping: Tied to personal growth and adaptation during stress, highlighting the support of religious beliefs in difficult times.

• Negative coping: Involves interpreting stress as divine punishment, leading individuals to question their faith and feelings of abandonment.

Religion and Mental Health

Religiosity and Mental Health

The interplay between religiosity and mental health continues to inspire research, with intrinsic religious orientation positively correlating to better mental health outcomes, contrasted by extrinsic orientations often leading to more struggles with psychological distress.

Alternative Approaches to Religion

Utilizing positive religious coping strategies corresponds with improved mental health outcomes, while negative coping strategies correlate with increased symptoms of distress.

Religion, Personality, Coping, and Mental Health

This field examines how religious orientation relates to personality traits and coping mechanisms. Intrinsic orientation aligns with low psychoticism and fewer maladaptive coping strategies, while extrinsic orientation tends to relate to higher levels of neuroticism and ineffective coping mechanisms.

Critical Review

Considerations

The relationship between religiosity and mental health must incorporate a wider range of spiritual practices to be fully understood. Traditional religious constructs should be integrated with emerging perspectives to give a comprehensive view of mental health paralleled with faith.

Final Comments

This analysis introduces significant research areas concerning right-wing attitudes and religiosity, emphasizing their complex interactions with individual differences and mental health outcomes.