Authoritarians may seem average because their whole circle is authoritarian too

Evidence

In 19791 asked Manitoba students to roleplay the answers that New Democratic (NDP), Liberal, and Progressive Conservative members of the House of Commons would give to the RWA Scale (RWA, pp. 223-224). They produced substantial differences in the predictable direction, with an eta-squared of 15% among the caucuses, correspond- This experiment led me to undertake four studies involving actual Canadian (provincial) lawmakers (EOF, pp. 242-252), which suggested the role-playing students had gotten it wrong. They had greatly underestimated the actual differences in authoritarianism among the various caucuses. — Bob Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Specter, 508 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Authoritarian traits may cohere as class norms rather than psychic dynamics; Political elites actually differ in authoritarianism more than bystanders estimate — Bob Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Specter, 508; Authoritarians differ from others only in degree of shared human weaknesses

Broader Connections

• Political elites actually differ in authoritarianism more than bystanders estimate #complicates (0.72) — Bob Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Specter, 508