The Impact of Authoritarianism on Perceptions of Justice

• In Event: Politics, Economics, Criminal Justice, and Public Opinion

Abstract

Authoritarianism is an important predictor of a variety of factors related to political views, ethnocentrism, and anti-democratic attitudes. Examining research employing the Aggression-Submission-Conventionalism Scale, the Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) scale, and the F-scale, this research aims to identify how the various scales and subscales of authoritarian submission, conventionalism, authoritarian aggression, and political intolerance are correlated with views about criminal justice policy and perceptions of justice. Authoritarianism can influence ethical decision-making by prioritizing conformity and obedience to authority over independent moral reasoning. This research systematically examines peer-reviewed publications about authoritarianism. Right-wing authoritarianism is linked to distinct social schemas viewing the world as more dangerous and threatening, competitive and cutthroat. This has significant policy implications. Conservative agendas are more likely to be employed when individuals score high on authoritarianism. Therefore, attitudes toward justice tend to be more punitive, less focused on rehabilitation, and more supportive of capital punishment. Interestingly, scoring high on right-wing authoritarianism was associated with less political knowledge but strong attitudes about justice policies.

Author

• Sheri Van Horne, Rutgers University