Closed Personalities: The Psychological Roots of Autocratic Support

Abstract

Why do some citizens support autocratic forms of government while others prefer democratic ones? Despite all the tragedy that dictatorships have brought to humanity some individuals still believe that autocracy is desirable. My dissertation seeks to uncover why citizens living in the same country and experiencing the same phenomena, show different preferences and support for authoritarianism and democracy. In this, I argue that individuals who are wary of diversity and individual autonomy – what psychologists would call individuals with closed personalities – crave autocratic political structures that suppress citizen participation, individual autonomy, and plurality of political expression. This form of government provides such individuals with psychological security and reassurance, particularly during times of perceived crisis and civil disobedience.