Personality and individual difference correlates of attitudes toward human rights and civil liberties

Abstract

This study examined associations between attitudes toward human rights and civil liberties (HR-CL) and a range of ideological, personality, and individual difference traits. A total of 474 German-speaking participants completed measures of attitudes toward HR-CL, right-wing authoritarianism (RWA), Big Five personality traits, conspiracist ideation, and political cynicism. Preliminary analyses showed no significant sex differences on attitudes toward HR-CL. When these predictors were entered into a multiple regression, the only significant predictors were RWA, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness and Openness-Intellect. Further analyses showed that the relationship between Openness-Intellect and attitudes toward HR-CL was mediated by RWA. These results are discussed in relation to intervention programmes aimed at promoting more egalitarian HR-CL attitudes.