Authoritarianism as compensatory trait

Abstract

The relationship of authoritarianism and personality traits was analyzed in the study. The sample consisted of 401 respondents aged 18-78 years (M = 26,58, SD = of 12,91), 55,9% - women. General authoritarianism, as well as two it’s components (authoritarian submission and aggression; conventionalism) was assessed by the Brief questionnaire of authoritarianism (questionnaire of right-wing authoritarianism of B.Altemeyer, shortened and adapted by the authors). Personality traits associated with attribution of responsibility (locus of control, measures of Free Will and Determinism Plus scale), tolerance to uncertainty and life satisfaction were also considered in the study. Regression analysis suggested that predictors of authoritarianism are the socio-demographic indicators (gender and presence / absence of siblings) and some personality traits – the internality in the field of achievements, all three indicators of FAD plus (fatalism, free will and unpredictability of surrounding world) and life satisfaction. The level of subjective control correlated primarily with the conventionalism: the higher level of authoritarianism corresponded to the internal locus of control. It is shown that the relationship of authoritarianism with internality is partly due to the internality in family relations. Life satisfaction is associated positively with all indicators of authoritarianism. Obtained relationship of authoritarianism with internal locus of control and life satisfaction do not contradict the assumption of a compensatory function of authoritarianism.