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Psychological underpinnings of democracy: Empathy, authoritarianism, self-esteem, interpersonal trust, normative identity style, and openness to experience as predictors of support for democratic values

2012; Elsevier BV; Volume: 53; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.paid.2012.04.032

1873-3549

Marta Miklikowska,

Media Influence and Health

Although the role of individual differences for political attitudes is undisputed, the psychological determinants of support for democratic values received limited attention. This study aimed at incorporating a variety of measures of stable individual differences and determining their relative effect on support for democratic values as well as at testing a new predictor, i.e. normative identity style. The analysis of a survey in a sample of middle adolescents (N = 1341; 16–17 year olds) showed that (a) right-wing authoritarianism, interpersonal trust, normative identity style, and empathy were good predictors of support for democratic values, (b) empathy and authoritarianism were the strongest predictors of democratic commitments, and that (c) self-esteem was not related to support for democratic values.