The interpersonal roots of politics: Social value orientation, socio political attitudes and prejudice
Abstract The relationships between social value orientation, socio political attitudes and prejudice was investigated in three studies (total N 1069) Participants filled in questionnaires containing measures of social value orientation, left right political orientation, social worldviews (i.e. dangerous world and competitive jungle) right wing authoritarianism (RWA) social dominance orientation (SDO) and prejudice towards immigrants. Study 1 showed that a proself orientation was associated to right wing political orientation through the mediation of RWA and SDO. Study 2 revealed that social worldviews mediated the relationships of a proself orientation with RWA and SDO. Finally, Study 3 indicated that a proself orientation was related to prejudice through the intervention of social worldviews, RWA and SDO. Overall, these findings provided robust evidence about the elevant role of interpersonal orientation underpinning socio political attitudes and prejudice.