Algorithmic manipulation? TikTok use predicts positive views of China’s human rights record
New research shows TikTok users encounter less content critical of China and more content aligned with pro-CCP narratives compared to other platforms. Heavy TikTok users also report more favorable views of China’s human rights record.
Adolescents with authoritarian leanings exhibit weaker cognitive ability and emotional intelligence
Teens with lower intelligence and emotional abilities are more likely to support authoritarian beliefs, whether left- or right-wing, suggesting shared psychological traits underpin rigid, authority-driven ideologies across the political spectrum.
This psychological factor might help unite America or “destroy us from within”
Strong identity fusion with Donald Trump leads his supporters to view Democrats as existential threats, increasing support for authoritarian actions. But a strong national identity with "America" reduces these tendencies, highlighting a potential path to unity amidst political division.
Untangling the complex relationship between anxiety and right-wing populism
A new study sheds light on the relationship between anxiety and support for right-wing populist parties. The findings highlight that anxiety plays a significant role in shaping contradictory attitudes, driving both authoritarian submission and anti-elitism in different contexts.
Right-wing authoritarianism appears to have a genetic foundation
A recent study found right-wing authoritarianism and social dominance orientation have significant genetic underpinnings. The findings highlight the genetic influence on ideological attitudes.
Dark personality traits linked to engagement in environmental activism
New research links "dark" personality traits and left-wing authoritarianism with environmental activism, suggesting motivations may include both altruistic and self-serving aspects.
Left-wing anti-hierarchical aggression emerges as the strongest predictor of antisemitism in recent study
A recent study reveals that antisemitism is predicted not just by right-wing extremism, but also by facets of left-wing authoritarianism, with a strong correlation to beliefs in conspiracies as well. The research challenges the oversimplified view that antisemitism is exclusive...
Employees under authoritarian leaders are more likely to agree with misinformation, study finds
A study published in Scientific Reports has found that individuals with authoritarian bosses are more likely to agree with fake news, suggesting that leadership styles can influence perceptions of misinformation. Despite variations in demographics and political ideology, the study, which...
Authoritarianism mediates the relationship between television viewing and Trump support, study finds
Authoritarianism serves as a pathway between watching television and the level of support for Donald Trump, according to new research published in Public Opinion Quarterly. In other words, watching television can indirectly influence support for Trump by shaping or reinforcing...
People with a greater tendency for victimhood are more likely to engage in cyberbullying, according to new research
New research provides evidence that people with an elevated sense of victimhood are more likely to engage in cyberbullying. The findings provide a better understanding of how personality traits and authoritarian tendencies are related to abusive behavior on the internet....
Antagonistic narcissism and psychopathic tendencies predict left-wing antihierarchical aggression, study finds
Narcissistic individuals and those with psychopathic tendencies are more likely to strongly endorse left-wing antihierarchical aggression, according to new research published in Current Psychology. Antihierarchical aggression refers to a specific type of hostility aimed at challenging or opposing hierarchical power...
Left-wing authoritarianism is a “real and pervasive issue,” according to a massive new psychology study
New research provides evidence that left-wing authoritarianism is a valid concept that predicts important real-world phenomena, including restrictive communication norms and dogmatism. The findings, published in Frontiers in Psychology, are based on data collected from more than 8,000 U.S. residents...
Shame makes people living in poverty more supportive of authoritarianism, study finds
A series of three studies in Germany found that people living in poverty frequently experience exclusion from different aspects of society and devaluation leading to the feeling of shame. Such shame, in turn, increases their support for authoritarianism due to...
Authoritarian aggression and submission are linked to the desire to denigrate those of high status, study finds
Two aspects of right-wing authoritarianism are associated with a heightened desire to cut down those with a high level of achievement and/or success, according to new research published in The Journal of Social Psychology.
Individuals who experience more adversity in childhood are more likely to endorse dominant leaders
Childhood experiences can predict leadership preferences in adulthood, according to new research published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences. The findings indicate that people who experience greater adversity in childhood are less likely to invest in social relationships, which...
