Abstract:Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) is a central predictor of distinct phenomena such as prejudice, voting behavior, corruption, conspiratory beliefs and dietary habits. Given its theoretical and practical relevance, researchers have incorporated RWA measures in large-scale surveys but their length can be an impediment. Although short RWA scales exist, none consider the cultural variability of the RWA structure in non-WEIRD contexts such as Brazil. Here, we report data from five cross-sectional and longitudinal … Show more
“…A 12-item version of the Authoritarianism-Conservatism-Traditionalism scale originally proposed by , and culturally adapted to the Brazilian context by Vilanova et al (2023) was used. Items were rated in a five-point agreement scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), and demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.84).…”
The impact of adverse experiences on clinical symptoms has been consistently demonstrated, but their impact on ideologies and worldviews has been rarely tested empirically. It has been long assumed that threatening experiences increase Dangerous World Beliefs (DWB) and Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA), whereas scarcity experiences increase Competitive World Beliefs (CWB) and Social Dominance Orientation (SDO). Here we assess whether self-reports of these adverse experiences are associated with clinical symptoms, worldviews and ideologies across two distinct studies (Ntotal = 1,108). Study 1 comprised Brazilian youth (13–17 years old) and results indicated that adverse experiences are consistently associated with depression, anxiety and stress but only marginally associated with DWB, RWA, CWB and SDO. Study 2 comprised male prisoners with a higher degree of adverse experiences and similar results were observed, as adverse experiences were mostly unrelated to worldviews and ideologies. Comprehensively, this research challenges the theoretical foundations of worldviews and ideological development, posing questions to the existing models and advocating for new frameworks that promote a shift from models grounded in clinical assumptions to frameworks focusing on social influences.
“…A 12-item version of the Authoritarianism-Conservatism-Traditionalism scale originally proposed by , and culturally adapted to the Brazilian context by Vilanova et al (2023) was used. Items were rated in a five-point agreement scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), and demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.84).…”
The impact of adverse experiences on clinical symptoms has been consistently demonstrated, but their impact on ideologies and worldviews has been rarely tested empirically. It has been long assumed that threatening experiences increase Dangerous World Beliefs (DWB) and Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA), whereas scarcity experiences increase Competitive World Beliefs (CWB) and Social Dominance Orientation (SDO). Here we assess whether self-reports of these adverse experiences are associated with clinical symptoms, worldviews and ideologies across two distinct studies (Ntotal = 1,108). Study 1 comprised Brazilian youth (13–17 years old) and results indicated that adverse experiences are consistently associated with depression, anxiety and stress but only marginally associated with DWB, RWA, CWB and SDO. Study 2 comprised male prisoners with a higher degree of adverse experiences and similar results were observed, as adverse experiences were mostly unrelated to worldviews and ideologies. Comprehensively, this research challenges the theoretical foundations of worldviews and ideological development, posing questions to the existing models and advocating for new frameworks that promote a shift from models grounded in clinical assumptions to frameworks focusing on social influences.
The prevailing global social and geopolitical situation is perceived as unfavorable by most people. According to the authors, many worrying threats are linked to the mental state of the planet's inhabitants. Thus, they believe that the emergence of authoritarian regimes, the constant instigation of wars, and the poor living conditions in many communities require explanations grounded in accurate psychological concepts.
The authors refer to their previous work that connects authoritarian regimes with conservative personality traits, particularly those found in far-right, populist groups. These regimes often promote a patriarchal social structure and rely on religious taboos to maintain control. The authors expand on this theory by exploring Sigmund Freud's concepts of "totem" and "taboo," examining how these ideas might explain the behavior of authoritarian regimes. They also refer to Carl Jung's theory of the Shadow and the collective sense of inferiority.
The article concludes with suggestions on how to counter the spread of authoritarian regimes. The authors advocate for a balanced approach that focuses on finding ways to coexist with authoritarian individuals. They draw parallels between the different neurophysiological functions of the brain's two hemispheres and the potential coexistence of multiple geopolitical blocs.
The authors reflect on a country that recently shifted from far-right, populist, national governance back to a liberal democratic pattern. They also propose a tool to record personal civic feelings, which can help assess whether a particular region is moving toward or away from autocratic governance.
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