Personality and Populism: How Populist Communication Fits the Personality of Some Voters

• In Event: Understanding the Effects of Populist Messages

Abstract

The anti-establishment message is the common denominator of the communication by populist parties. Building upon the differential susceptibility model of media effects, that the anti-establishment message of populist parties is especially effective among people that score low on the personality trait Agreeableness. We find evidence for this argument in a study conducted in the United States. Persons low on Agreeableness are more likely to support Donald Trump but not other politicians. Moreover, in a conjoint-experiment we show that the anti-establishment message leads to more support for a politician but only among the low agreeable participants. Thus, explanations of the success of populism should take the interaction between populist communication and personality traits into account.

Authors

• Gijs Schumacher, U of Amsterdam

• Bert Bakker, U of Amsterdam

• Mattthijs Rooduijn, Utrecht U