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5 common traits of Trump supporters

#1
Magical Realist Offline
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/...key-traits

"The lightning-fast ascent and political invincibility of Donald Trump has left many experts baffled and wondering, “How did we get here?” Any accurate and sufficient answer to that question must not only focus on Trump himself, but also on his uniquely loyal supporters. Given their extreme devotion and unwavering admiration for their highly unpredictable and often inflammatory leader, some have turned to the field of psychology for scientific explanations based on precise quantitative data and established theoretical frameworks.

Although analyses and studies by psychologists and neuroscientists have provided many thought-provoking explanations for his enduring support, the accounts of different experts often vary greatly, sometimes overlapping and other times conflicting. However insightful these critiques may be, it is apparent that more research and examination is needed to hone in on the exact psychological and social factors underlying this peculiar human behavior.

In a recent review paper published in the Journal of Social and Political Psychology, Psychologist and UC Santa Cruz professor Thomas Pettigrew argues that five major psychological phenomena can help explain this exceptional political event.

1. Authoritarian Personality Syndrome

Authoritarianism refers to the advocacy or enforcement of strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom, and is commonly associated with a lack of concern for the opinions or needs of others. Authoritarian personality syndrome—a well-studied and globally-prevalent condition—is a state of mind that is characterized by belief in total and complete obedience to one’s authority. Those with the syndrome often display aggression toward outgroup members, submissiveness to authority, resistance to new experiences, and a rigid hierarchical view of society. The syndrome is often triggered by fear, making it easy for leaders who exaggerate threat or fear monger to gain their allegiance.

Although authoritarian personality is found among liberals, it is more common among the right-wing around the world. President Trump’s speeches, which are laced with absolutist terms like “losers” and “complete disasters,” are naturally appealing to those with the syndrome.

While research showed that Republican voters in the U.S. scored higher than Democrats on measures of authoritarianism before Trump emerged on the political scene, a 2016 Politico survey found that high authoritarians greatly favored then-candidate Trump, which led to a correct prediction that he would win the election, despite the polls saying otherwise.

2. Social dominance orientation

Social dominance orientation (SDO)—which is distinct but related to authoritarian personality syndrome—refers to people who have a preference for the societal hierarchy of groups, specifically with a structure in which the high-status groups have dominance over the low-status ones. Those with SDO are typically dominant, tough-minded, and driven by self-interest.

In Trump’s speeches, he appeals to those with SDO by repeatedly making a clear distinction between groups that have a generally higher status in society (White), and those groups that are typically thought of as belonging to a lower status (immigrants and minorities).

A 2016 survey study of 406 American adults published this year in the journal Personality and Individual Differences found that those who scored high on both SDO and authoritarianism were those who intended to vote for Trump in the election.

3. Prejudice

It would be grossly unfair and inaccurate to say that every one of Trump’s supporters have prejudice against ethnic and religious minorities, but it would be equally inaccurate to say that many do not. It is a well-known fact that the Republican party, going at least as far back to Richard Nixon’s “southern strategy,” used strategies that appealed to bigotry, such as lacing speeches with “dog whistles”—code words that signaled prejudice toward minorities that were designed to be heard by racists but no one else.

While the dog whistles of the past were more subtle, Trump’s are sometimes shockingly direct. There’s no denying that he routinely appeals to bigoted supporters when he calls Muslims “dangerous” and Mexican immigrants “rapists” and “murderers,” often in a blanketed fashion. Perhaps unsurprisingly, a new study has shown that support for Trump is correlated with a standard scale of modern racism.

4. Intergroup contact

Intergroup contact refers to contact with members of groups that are outside one’s own, which has been experimentally shown to reduce prejudice. As such, it’s important to note that there is growing evidence that Trump’s white supporters have experienced significantly less contact with minorities than other Americans. For example, a 2016 study found that “…the racial and ethnic isolation of Whites at the zip-code level is one of the strongest predictors of Trump support.” This correlation persisted while controlling for dozens of other variables. In agreement with this finding, the same researchers found that support for Trump increased with the voters’ physical distance from the Mexican border.

5. Relative deprivation

Relative deprivation refers to the experience of being deprived of something to which one believes they are entitled. It is the discontent felt when one compares their position in life to others who they feel are equal or inferior but have unfairly had more success than them.

Common explanations for Trump’s popularity among non-bigoted voters involve economics. There is no doubt that some Trump supporters are simply angry that American jobs are being lost to Mexico and China, which is certainly understandable, although these loyalists often ignore the fact that some of these careers are actually being lost due to the accelerating pace of automation.

These Trump supporters are experiencing relative deprivation, and are common among the swing states like Ohio, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. This kind of deprivation is specifically referred to as “relative,” as opposed to “absolute,” because the feeling is often based on a skewed perception of what one is entitled to. For example, an analysis conducted by FiveThirtyEight estimated that the median annual income of Trump supporters was $72,000.

If such data is accurate, the portrayal of most Trump supporters as “working class” citizens rebelling against Republican elites may be more myth than fact."
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#3
Syne Offline
(Oct 18, 2018 10:04 PM)Magical Realist Wrote: 1.     Authoritarian Personality Syndrome

Authoritarianism refers to the advocacy or enforcement of strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom, and is commonly associated with a lack of concern for the opinions or needs of others. Authoritarian personality syndrome—a well-studied and globally-prevalent condition—is a state of mind that is characterized by belief in total and complete obedience to one’s authority. Those with the syndrome often display aggression toward outgroup members, submissiveness to authority, resistance to new experiences, and a rigid hierarchical view of society. The syndrome is often triggered by fear, making it easy for leaders who exaggerate threat or fear monger to gain their allegiance.

Although authoritarian personality is found among liberals, it is more common among the right-wing around the world. President Trump’s speeches, which are laced with absolutist terms like “losers” and “complete disasters,” are naturally appealing to those with the syndrome.

While research showed that Republican voters in the U.S. scored higher than Democrats on measures of authoritarianism before Trump emerged on the political scene, a 2016 Politico survey found that high authoritarians greatly favored then-candidate Trump, which led to a correct prediction that he would win the election, despite the polls saying otherwise.
What personal freedom has anyone lost?
Those who value authority also have a more balanced value system:

[Image: political-camps-moral-foundations.png?fi...C656&ssl=1]
[Image: political-camps-moral-foundations.png?fi...C656&ssl=1]


Instead of fixating on the few values they were taught in kindergarten (be nice and share).

Those showing aggression to outgroup members are the leftists, like Antifa, pro-choice activists, etc.. And yes, that is triggered by fear.
Study: Leftists just as likely to be dogmatic authoritarians as those on the right
Quote:2.     Social dominance orientation

Social dominance orientation (SDO)—which is distinct but related to authoritarian personality syndrome—refers to people who have a preference for the societal hierarchy of groups, specifically with a structure in which the high-status groups have dominance over the low-status ones. Those with SDO are typically dominant, tough-minded, and driven by self-interest.

In Trump’s speeches, he appeals to those with SDO by repeatedly making a clear distinction between groups that have a generally higher status in society (White), and those groups that are typically thought of as belonging to a lower status (immigrants and minorities).
Yep, those with high self-esteem, who think they are capable of rising in a a dominance hierarchy. You know, the capable people. And were did Trump make a clear distinction between whites and minorities? Illegal alien is not a synonym for minority.
Quote:3.     Prejudice

It would be grossly unfair and inaccurate to say that every one of Trump’s supporters have prejudice against ethnic and religious minorities, but it would be equally inaccurate to say that many do not. It is a well-known fact that the Republican party, going at least as far back to Richard Nixon’s “southern strategy,” used strategies that appealed to bigotry, such as lacing speeches with “dog whistles”—code words that signaled prejudice toward minorities that were designed to be heard by racists but no one else.

While the dog whistles of the past were more subtle, Trump’s are sometimes shockingly direct. There’s no denying that he routinely appeals to bigoted supporters when he calls Muslims “dangerous” and Mexican immigrants “rapists” and “murderers,” often in a blanketed fashion. Perhaps unsurprisingly, a new study has shown that support for Trump is correlated with a standard scale of modern racism.
Ah, the oft debunked "swapped sides" myth. And no, Republicans know that these so-called "dog whistles" are blatant misinterpretations. It's Islamists, not Muslims, and illegal aliens, not Mexican immigrants. And according to the link to "a new study has shown that support for Trump is correlated with a standard scale of modern racism", the one that actually had anything to do with Americans was unpublished. So Pettigrew was citing his own, unpublished work. Rolleyes
Quote:4.     Intergroup contact

Intergroup contact refers to contact with members of groups that are outside one’s own, which has been experimentally shown to reduce prejudice. As such, it’s important to note that there is growing evidence that Trump’s white supporters have experienced significantly less contact with minorities than other Americans. For example, a 2016 study found that “…the racial and ethnic isolation of Whites at the zip-code level is one of the strongest predictors of Trump support.” This correlation persisted while controlling for dozens of other variables. In agreement with this finding, the same researchers found that support for Trump increased with the voters’ physical distance from the Mexican border.
Yes, as shown above, conservatives seem to be the only ones with groupishness values, which includes things like patriotism and family values.
Quote:5.     Relative deprivation

Relative deprivation refers to the experience of being deprived of something to which one believes they are entitled. It is the discontent felt when one compares their position in life to others who they feel are equal or inferior but have unfairly had more success than them.

Common explanations for Trump’s popularity among non-bigoted voters involve economics. There is no doubt that some Trump supporters are simply angry that American jobs are being lost to Mexico and China, which is certainly understandable, although these loyalists often ignore the fact that some of these careers are actually being lost due to the accelerating pace of automation.
No, jobs lost to Mexico and China are not due to automation, it's due to cheaper labor.
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#4
Magical Realist Offline
Quote:Yes, as shown above, conservatives seem to be the only ones with groupishness values, which includes things like patriotism and family values.

Patriotism and family values aren't real moral values. They are simply loyalty to and bias towards your own ingroup. Like cheering on your own hometown team. There's no special virtue in that. Nazis were very patriotic and probably had strong family values too. But they lacked true humanity in their bigotry and xenophobia and authoritarianism. Just like Trump supporters.
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#5
Syne Offline
(Oct 19, 2018 12:39 AM)Magical Realist Wrote:
Quote:Yes, as shown above, conservatives seem to be the only ones with groupishness values, which includes things like patriotism and family values.

Patriotism and family values aren't real moral values. They are simply loyalty to and bias towards your own ingroup. Like cheering on your own hometown team. There's no special virtue in that. Nazis were very patriotic and probably had strong family values too. But they lacked true humanity in their bigotry and xenophobia and authoritarianism. Just like Trump supporters.

They're not values to you, because you're a leftist with kindergartner values. But thanks for proving my point. Big Grin
Having some bad values does not make all values espoused bad. That's like eschewing baths because the Romans took them. Rolleyes
Nor does having morals mean they are inherently good. That's why descriptive ethics exist, because different groups objectively have differing, and even contradictory, morals.

Leftist cities have the most racial segregation, income inequality, and restrictive laws/regulations, because leftists are racist, elitist, and desire the government power to enforce their authoritarian goals.
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#6
Yazata Offline
(Oct 18, 2018 10:04 PM)Magical Realist Wrote: RE: 5 common traits of Trump supporters

I wonder whether the author of this bullshit even knows any Trump supporters. And if by chance he's met a few, whether he asked them why they voted as they did and actually listened to their answers with an open and sympathetic mind.

He looks to me to just be another academic lefty, trying to package his prejudices and stereotypes in pseudo-"scientific" jargon.

It's shit like this that have caused me to lose whatever confidence I once had (never very much) in the so-called social "sciences".

Quote:"The lightning-fast ascent and political invincibility of Donald Trump has left many experts baffled and wondering, “How did we get here?”

Earth-to-academia: The reason why people voted for Donald Trump, both in the primaries and the general, is because he is the only candidate of either party who actually spoke to issues that many voters cared about. (As opposed to issues that the professors, the business oligarchs, the media and the lobbyists care about.)

While the democrats seemingly only cared about illegal aliens and transvestites.

It was a pretty stark contrast and the result shouldn't be all that surprising to anyone who wasn't living in a bubble.

Quote:Any accurate and sufficient answer to that question must not only focus on Trump himself, but also on his uniquely loyal supporters. Given their extreme devotion and unwavering admiration for their highly unpredictable and often inflammatory leader, some have turned to the field of psychology for scientific explanations based on precise quantitative data and established theoretical frameworks.

Trump's supporters are going to support him until a better alternative comes along. His personal style may or may not put some off, but they will stick with him as long as he speaks to their concerns. (The democrats certainly don't. The establishment "big-business" republicans weren't much better: No, every problem won't be solved by lowering taxes on the rich.)

Trump supporters are no more "uniquely loyal" than democrats. Like democrats, they have things that they care about. What is going to pry a feminist away from her women's issues? What is going to pry a "la raza" activist away from his Mexican identity politics? How easy is it going to be to pry a gay activist away from gay issues? How easy is changing any of their minds going to be? Did Bill Clinton's rape accusations divert many feminists from supporting Hillary?

Quote:In a recent review paper published in the Journal of Social and Political Psychology, Psychologist and UC Santa Cruz professor Thomas Pettigrew argues that five major psychological phenomena can help explain this exceptional political event.

1.     Authoritarian Personality Syndrome

Authoritarianism refers to the advocacy or enforcement of strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom

Except that Trump supporters are typically more libertarian than the so-called "liberals", more devoted to individual freedom, opposed to addressing every perceived social problem with a flurry of new laws. All the new laws eventually add up and end up regulating every conceivable aspect of human life. It can very easily become a ticket to totalitarianism.

(It's not like a Congress is a failure unless it passes lots of legislation.)

Quote:2.     Social dominance orientation

Social dominance orientation (SDO)—which is distinct but related to authoritarian personality syndrome—refers to people who have a preference for the societal hierarchy of groups, specifically with a structure in which the high-status groups have dominance over the low-status ones.

Says the university professor, the would-be high-status intellectual authority. He knows and you don't. So believe what he tells you!

It isn't any accident that today's democratic party is the neo-aristocratic party of the new elites. The party of just about anyone who thinks that they are better than everyone else. The party to which all the celebrities seemingly gravitate, the party of the educators, the news and entertainment media who presume to tell everyone else what to believe and think, the party of the government officials who tell you how to behave and punish you for misbehaving.

If this psychological idiot wants to see his fanciful "Social Dominance Orientation", all he needs to do is look in the mirror.

To understand the anti-aristocratic Trump phenomenon out there among the lowly "deplorables", just think of the New Hampshire State motto: Live Free or Die!

and


[Image: 255px-Gadsden_flag.svg.png]
[Image: 255px-Gadsden_flag.svg.png]



It's hard to think of anything more quintessentially American.
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#7
Syne Offline
(Oct 19, 2018 04:26 AM)Yazata Wrote:
(Oct 18, 2018 10:04 PM)Magical Realist Wrote: RE: 5 common traits of Trump supporters

I wonder whether the author of this bullshit even knows any Trump supporters. And if by chance he's met a few, whether he asked them why they voted as they did and actually listened to their answers with an open and sympathetic mind.

He looks to me to just be another academic lefty, trying to package his prejudices and stereotypes in pseudo-"scientific" jargon.

It's shit like this that have caused me to lose whatever confidence I once had (never very much) in the so-called social "sciences".
Hear, hear. The author of this crap is a social scientist and activist...but then I repeat myself.

The American civil rights researcher and activist Thomas Fraser Pettigrew is one of the leading experts in the social science of race and ethnic relations to emerge in the post-World War II (1939–1945) period.
- https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-scie...w-thomas-f

Quote:
Quote:"The lightning-fast ascent and political invincibility of Donald Trump has left many experts baffled and wondering, “How did we get here?”

Earth-to-academia: The reason why people voted for Donald Trump, both in the primaries and the general, is because he is the only candidate of either party who actually spoke to issues that many voters cared about. (As opposed to issues that the professors, the business oligarchs, the media and the lobbyists care about.)

While the democrats seemingly only cared about illegal aliens and transvestites.

It was a pretty stark contrast and the result shouldn't be all that surprising to anyone who wasn't living in a bubble.
To be fair, I'm not so sure that was true of the primaries, where his invincibility to the usual leftist media attacks seemed to weigh heavily in his favor. Primaries tend to be a calculus of who has the best chance to win (party base plus best chance at undecided).
Quote:Did Bill Clinton's rape accusations divert many feminists from supporting Hillary?
No, but apparently her apologetics has finally run afoul the #MeToo movement.
Quote:
Quote:In a recent review paper published in the Journal of Social and Political Psychology, Psychologist and UC Santa Cruz professor Thomas Pettigrew argues that five major psychological phenomena can help explain this exceptional political event.

1.     Authoritarian Personality Syndrome

Authoritarianism refers to the advocacy or enforcement of strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom

Except that Trump supporters are typically more libertarian than the so-called "liberals", more devoted to individual freedom, opposed to addressing every perceived social problem with a flurry of new laws. All the new laws eventually add up and end up regulating every conceivable aspect of human life. It can very easily become a ticket to totalitarianism.

(It's not like a Congress is a failure unless it passes lots of legislation.)
All very true, especially about Congress...where the infuriating lack of action in the Senate was designed to be a moderating feature.
Quote:
Quote:2.     Social dominance orientation

Social dominance orientation (SDO)—which is distinct but related to authoritarian personality syndrome—refers to people who have a preference for the societal hierarchy of groups, specifically with a structure in which the high-status groups have dominance over the low-status ones.

Says the university professor, the would-be high-status intellectual authority. He knows and you don't. So believe what he tells you!

It isn't any accident that today's democratic party is the neo-aristocratic party of the new elites. The party of just about anyone who thinks that they are better than everyone else. The party to which all the celebrities seemingly gravitate, the party of the educators, the news and entertainment media who presume to tell everyone else what to believe and think, the party of the government officials who tell you how to behave and punish you for misbehaving.

If this psychological idiot wants to see his fanciful "Social Dominance Orientation", all he needs to do is look in the mirror.

To understand the anti-aristocratic Trump phenomenon out there among the lowly "deplorables", just think of the New Hampshire State motto: Live Free or Die!

and


[Image: 255px-Gadsden_flag.svg.png]
[Image: 255px-Gadsden_flag.svg.png]



It's hard to think of anything more quintessentially American.
Rich New York City liberals don't want their kids to integrate

A sociological stress test of sorts is playing out on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It seems the wealthy liberals there don't want their children to integrate with people of color.

Rolleyes
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#8
stryder Offline
I'm pretty sure a majority of Trumps support was just the disenfranchised thinking there's going to be more green on the other side of the proverbial picket fence.

One thing about Anarchy is anarchists will vote and they will vote for the most unruliest of candidates (The ones that shouldn't be picked for moral or ethical reasons) purely because they know that candidate and those that follow them will literally pull the whole system apart. After all Trumps initial reign has been to overturn anything Obama did, agreed with or even thought about. Thats literally taking an entire system and destroying it to replace with his own image of how things should be. What people don't seem to understand is when it comes up for the next primaries you could very well see a huge swing in peoples political allegiances, it's not because suddenly the opposition looks better, it's because the best way to tank a society is to keep putting the wrong people in and making sure that none of the systems they get up and running stay in operation for long.

The same thing has occurred over in the UK, thats why we've had the Brexit a something as politically immoral, just to have something to crash and burn the system.
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#9
Syne Offline
No, in the US, there a pretty stable pattern of alternating two-terms presidents from each party. So the next primaries are not likely to be a shake up unless the economy tanks or something just as drastic happens. Nor do I think anarchists are a significant factor in US elections. Trump hasn't just overturned what Obama did, just for the sake of disruption; he's restored a pretty standard conservative agenda...which Obama did do a lot to undermine. Only the left, in the US, is intent on tanking society, by destroying the economy and the social fabric of family, religion, patriotism, etc.. What's traditionally up for grabs in the midterm is Congress, but that has more to do with which seats are up for reelection.

Brexit is immoral? Wanting your own, unhindered national sovereignty is immoral? Rolleyes
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#10
C C Offline
(Oct 18, 2018 10:04 PM)Magical Realist Wrote: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/...key-traits

"The lightning-fast ascent and political invincibility of Donald Trump has left many experts baffled and wondering, “How did we get here?”


Trump was also an anti-establishment icon for some of the younger political iconoclasts actually old enough to vote. But they're probably a small percentage of the mindset varieties, though online they could constitute a significant chunk of so-called "imposter alt-right" trolling. (Who really knows...)

Mencius Moldbug: "If you spend 75 years building a pseudo-religion around anything—an ethnic group, a plaster saint, sexual chastity or the Flying Spaghetti Monster—don’t be surprised when clever 19-year-olds discover that insulting it is now the funniest f__king thing in the world."

~
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