Authoritarians go with the flow : social norms moderate the link between right-wing authoritarianism and outgroup-directed attitudes
Abstract
This research aimed to provide a more nuanced understanding of the relations between social norms, right-wing authoritarianism (RWA), outgroup-directed prejudice, and hostile behavioral intentions toward outgroups. Three correlational studies, conducted in two countries and three different intergroup contexts (n1 = 997; n2 = 1011; n3 = 1992), investigated the moderating role of social norms (both positive and negative) on the relation between RWA and expression of prejudice as well as behavioral intentions toward outgroups. We found that in the presence of positive (i.e., tolerant) social norms, the previously well-established positive relation between RWA and prejudice is reduced or even reversed, whereas in the presence of negative (i.e., intolerant) social norms, this relation is strengthened. Additionally, the lower (vs. higher) prejudice of high-RWA individuals in the presence of positive (vs. negative) social norms mediated the link between RWA and behavioral intentions toward outgroups. The present research constitutes the first comprehensive demonstration of authoritarians' potential to be less prejudiced in response to prevailing tolerant social norms.
Citation
Gorska , P , Stefaniak , A , Lipowska , K , Malinowska , K , Skrodzka , M & Marchlewska , M 2022 , ' Authoritarians go with the flow : social norms moderate the link between right-wing authoritarianism and outgroup-directed attitudes ' , Political Psychology , vol. 43 , no. 1 , pp. 131-152 . https://doi.org/10.1111/pops.12744
Publication
Political Psychology
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
0162-895XType
Journal article
Rights
Copyright © 2021 International Society of Political Psychology. This work has been made available online in accordance with publisher policies or with permission. Permission for further reuse of this content should be sought from the publisher or the rights holder. This is the author created accepted manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at https://doi.org/10.1111/pops.12744
Description
Funding information: Preparation of this manuscript and the research it reports were supported by the National Science Center (Poland) 2017/25/B/HS6 and 2017/26/M/HS6 grants conferred to Paulina Górska.Collections
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