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Psychological Essentialism Underlies Aspects of Political Conservatism
  • Jason Miller,
  • Mark Landau
Jason Miller
University of North Georgia

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Mark Landau
The University of Kansas Department of Psychology
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Abstract

Four studies tested the hypothesis that psychological essentialism underlies political conservatism. Study 1 (n = 263) finds correlational evidence that essentialist thinking about the U.S. is correlated with support for three conservative ideologies (RWA, SDO, nationalism) and conservative policies regarding religion, taxes, the environment and immigration. Experiments show that prompting participants to think about the essence of the U.S. increases support for RWA and nationalism, but not SDO. Study 2 (n = 164) compares an essential to a non-essential framing of the U.S., while Study 3 (n = 150) compares essential framings of the U.S. to another concept (music). Parallel mediation analyses show that support for RWA and nationalism mediates the relationship between essentialism and support for conservative policy positions. Study 4 (n = 174) directly replicates Study 2 and goes further to test mediators, showing that perceptions of intergroup threat mediate the effect of an essential U.S. framing on RWA, while national identification mediates the effect on nationalism. We discuss how the different ways liberals and conservative Americans conceive their nation impacts political polarization. Data and materials are publicly available at (https://osf.io/srvxk/?view_only=3222ba5c750d4362b68b25ea80195d67)
12 Nov 2023Submitted to Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy
10 Feb 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
Assigned to Editor
24 Apr 20241st Revision Received
05 Jul 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
13 Oct 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
20 Oct 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
24 Oct 20242nd Revision Received
25 Oct 2024Submission Checks Completed
25 Oct 2024Assigned to Editor
27 Oct 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
27 Oct 2024Editorial Decision: Accept