Authoritarianism and the Psychology of War: Exploring Personality Traits in the Legitimation of Military Conflict

This study examines the interplay between authoritarianism, masculinity-related violence, and generalized war support, drawing upon a population survey conducted in the UK in 2023. The analysis focuses on how authoritarian submission, radicalization, political ideology, and particularly norms of masculinity influence attitudes towards military conflict. Emphasizing the significant role of masculinity-related violence, the research highlights how this factor robustly predicts support for war, underlining the gendered nature of militaristic attitudes and the profound impact of aggressive gender norms on support for military engagements. The findings reveal that authoritarian submission is strongly associated with war support, consistent both with Adorno et al.’s (1950) theory of the authoritarian personality and with psychosocial perspectives which draw on Klein’s object relations theory (Dawson, 1994). This study expands upon traditional views by integrating the psychological dimension of sadism as an influential factor in militaristic attitudes. Although not the primary focus, sadism emerges as a nuanced trait that complements aggressive masculinity in predicting war support. Radical political ideologies and right-leaning political alignments also significantly predict increased support for war, underscoring the alignment between conservative ideologies and militaristic attitudes. The study nuances the impact of age and gender, highlighting that men and older individuals are more likely to support war, mediated through these identified psychological and ideological factors. By exploring these complex relationships, the study contributes towards understanding the factors that drive public support for military actions, suggesting that both gender norms and personality traits like sadism play crucial roles in shaping militaristic attitudes.