Authoritarianism scales measure ideology, not underlying personality traits

Evidence

On the level of covariation, of one variable correlated with another, the findings of The Authoritarian Personality seem to me to be quite well established. Anti-Semitism goes with ethnocentrism goes with anti-intraception goes with idealization of parents and self goes with authoritarian discipline in childhood goes with a rigid conception of sex roles, etc. Two of the presumptive correlates are not well established: status-concern or marginality and the cognitive style characterized by rigidity and intolerance of ambiguity. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 651 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Authoritarian personality theory holds that a psychological structure, not objective circumstances, determines fascist character — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School: Its History,…, 1780; The F Scale partly measured mere yielding, not authoritarian content — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology: Key Readings, 584; Authoritarianism is not a single coherent psychological construct — Leonard S. Newman and Ralph Erber (eds.), Understanding Genocide: The Social…, 525 (+12 more)

Broader Connections

• Authoritarian traits are causally interdependent, not merely correlated artifacts #complicates (0.90)
• One underlying authoritarianism trait explains many disparate attitudes #complicates (0.88)
• Authoritarian personality traits co-correlate robustly except for status-concern and cognitive rigidity #complicates (0.84) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 651
• The RWA Scale measures one underlying authoritarian dimension, not separate traits #complicates (0.82) — Bob Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Specter, 691
• Right-wing authoritarianism scale scores outperform typical personality tests on predictive validity #complicates (0.75) — Bob Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Specter, 516