Authoritarianism is defined by the weight given to unsupported authority opinions, not rationality.

Evidence

The non-authoritarian will also change his attitudes but the requisite information is different. The endorsement of an authority will not be sufficient. Most generally he will need to see that the objects of his attitude are related to his more basic values in ways that he had not formerly realized. This is by no means a completely “logical” business and it is not clear that the contrast of authoritarian and non-authoritarian is on a dimension of rationality. I am simply proposing that it is a difference in the weight given to the unsupported opinions of an authority. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 679

Categorization

• DEFINE: Shifts the authoritarian distinction away from a rationality dimension onto the weight given to unsupported authority endorsement.