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The radical personality: Social psychological correlates of new left ideology

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Abstract

This paper describes and tests a model of radical personality based upon social psychological correlates of New Left ideology. Following methodological criticism of studies that portrayed radicals as psychologically “liberated,” a model of psychopolitical rebellion is described as an inverted form of authoritarian personality. This model was tested by administering projective psychological instruments to a large sample of American college students during 1971–73. As hypothesized, radicalism was associated with measures of power motivation, narcissim, self-assertive psychosocial orientation, lack of affiliative motivation, and perceptions of protest and militancy as sources of power. The developmental sources of rebellion are also examined, and the implications for studies of personality and politics are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. George Washington University, USA

    S. Robert Lichter

  2. Smith College, USA

    Stanley Rothman

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  1. S. Robert Lichter
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  2. Stanley Rothman
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Additional information

This study was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (GS35307A1) and the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation.

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Lichter, S.R., Rothman, S. The radical personality: Social psychological correlates of new left ideology. Polit Behav 4, 207–235 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00990106

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