Closed Personalities: The Psychological Roots of Autocratic Support

• In Event: New Perspectives on Ideology

Abstract

Democracy is in danger around the world, as fewer people seem to think of it as a desirable form of government (Wike et al 2019, Zechmeister & Lupu 2019). Perhaps more alarming is the fact that some individuals appear to see autocratic forms of governance as viable alternatives (Zechmeister & Lupu 2019, Singer 2018). Current explanations based on economic development and governmental performance offer a narrow explanation for why some people reject democracy and subsequently support autocratic forms of governance (Inglehart & Welzel 2007, Booth & Seligson 2009, Singer 2018). To advance this debate, I offer a novel argument based on personality psychology. I argue that individuals who are low on the personality trait of openness – what I term closed personalities – are more supportive of autocracy. Closed personalities are intolerant of difference, seek uniformity of thought and action, and are particularly affected by societal threats. As such, closed personalities tend to seek political arrangements that repress diversity and enforce submission to authorities. Moreover, I hold that under conditions of crisis ¬ (poor economic performance, rampant corruption and insecurity) and civil disobedience (episodes of massive protests and disobedience to authorities) threats, closed people activate their tendency to support autocracy. Using data from the 2010 AmericasBarometer and original online survey experiments in Chile and Ecuador, I show how closed individuals tend to be highly supportive of autocracy. I further show that conditions of crisis and civil disobedience particularly affect closed personalities. Such contexts ignite authoritarian sentiments among closed individuals, even making them prefer autocracy over democracy and support the closure of democratic institutions. Given the rise of populism and autocratic leaders around the world, understanding the psychological roots of support for autocracy, as well as the contextual factors that ignite these attitudes, are crucial to advance our knowledge of how individuals form their attitudes towards autocracy and democracy.

Author

• Paula Armendariz, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities