Electing a perceived strong leader itself lowers threat perception among slumping authoritarians

Evidence

There seems to be little doubt that the Reagan landslide of 1980 was given impetus by perceptions of high threat, when Reagan’s image as being tough on crime, the Soviet “Evil Empire,” and the Iranian hostage takers appealed to a nation eager for strong authority. Perhaps the mere election of this perceived strong leader—someone who would reduce threat— reduced the sense of threat among situational authoritarians, while at the same time fueling the energies of dispositional authoritarians. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 843

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Perceived threat to in-group status evokes greater political conservatism. — Maureen A. Craig and Jennifer A. Richeson, On the Precipice of a…, 12; Strong leadership signals the weakness of the underlying social movement — Arthur Borriello and Anton Jäger, The Populist Moment: The Left After the…, 272