Predicting Self-Construal from Authoritarianism: A Pilot Study of Perceived Threat

Abstract

This pilot study investigated the association of perceived threat and scores on a measure of Authoritarianism. Undergraduate students (29 women, 8 men; ages 18–32, M = 21, SD = 3.1), completed the Right-wing Authoritarianism scale and then the Self-construal scale after reading a nonthreatening or threatening news article. In the threatening condition, Authoritarian scores accounted for a significant amount of variance (R² = .26) in Interdependent Self-construal scores, but not for Independent Self-construal scores. No significant associations were found in the nonthreatening condition.

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