An orderly personality partially explains the link between trait disgust and political conservatism

Aspect-Level Personality Characteristics of U.S. Presidential Candidate Supporters in the 2016 and 2020 Elections

With two studies ( N=1,257), we examined the aspect-level personality predictors of support for major U.S. presidential candidates in 2016 and 2020. U.S. residents completed measures of aspect-level personality, overall political orientation, and support for each candidate. The profile that predicted support for each candidate diverged from the profile that predicted generic liberalism/conservatism. Moreover, differences emerged between supporters of different candidates within the same party. For example, preference for Clinton was predicted by higher Openness, but lower Intellect, Politeness, and Volatility, whereas preference for Sanders was predicted only by higher Openness and lower Volatility. Preference for Trump was predicted by lower Openness and higher Volatility in 2016, but lower Compassion and higher Industriousness in 2020. Support for Biden was predicted by higher Compassion, Intellect, and Withdrawal. This work provides a more nuanced understanding of how the psychology of generalized political orientation may deviate from the psychology behind support for specific candidates.

Three Dimensions of American Conservative Political Orientation Differentially Predict Negativity Bias and Satisfaction With Life

Numerous studies have linked political conservatism with negativity bias, whereas others have linked conservatism with indicators of positive adjustment. This research sought to reconcile this seeming contradiction by examining whether distinct dimensions of conservatism differentially predicted measures of negativity bias and positive adjustment. In two studies, we used an empirically derived and validated Attitude-Based Political Conservatism (ABPC) Scale that captures three correlated but distinct factors of American conservatism: Libertarian Independence, Moral Traditionalism, and Ethnic Separateness. In both studies ( N = 1,756), Libertarian Independence was linked with indicators of positive adjustment, whereas Moral Traditionalism and Ethnic Separateness were linked with indices of negativity bias. By identifying which dimensions of conservatism predict negativity bias and positive adjustment, this work illuminates the unique psychological foundations of distinct strands of conservatism in America.

Beyond Openness to Experience and Conscientiousness: Testing links between lower-level personality traits and American political orientation

INTRODUCTION

Research has consistently revealed positive correlations between political liberalism and Openness to Experience, and between conservatism and Conscientiousness. Most of this research has made use of domain-level models of the Big Five personality traits. Recent work suggests, however, that each Big Five trait domain can be divided into distinct aspects or facets, which offer more nuanced characterizations of each trait.

METHODS

Across four studies (Ns ranging from 1,123 to 116,406), the present research examined the degree to which distinct lower-level traits would be associated with meaningful differences in political orientation. United States residents completed two different hierarchical Big Five personality measures (the Big Five Aspect Scales and the Big Five Inventory-2), as well as a range of measures of political orientation.

RESULTS

Across both personality measures, liberal political orientation showed distinct positive associations with the lower-level traits Openness/Aesthetic Sensitivity, Intellect/Intellectual Curiosity, Compassion, and Withdrawal/Depression, as well as distinct negative associations with Orderliness/Organization, Politeness, and Assertiveness.

DISCUSSION

By examining individual differences at a higher level of granularity, these data provide insight into specific motivations that predispose individuals toward different ends of the political spectrum.