[ARTICLES] The Uniform's Influence on Authoritarianism: An Examination of Aesthetic Labor and Social Consciousness

We found that individuals working in uniforms exhibited greater authoritarianism than those in plain clothes. According to enclothed cognition theory, wearers' selfperception tends to align with the images associated with their clothing. Since uniforms convey the image of membership in an organization, they are supposed to promote obedience to that organization. Furthermore, the external scrutiny of one's appearance by superiors and colleagues also contributed to heightened authoritarianism among employees. While it was hypothesized that even in the absence of a uniform, wearing similar attire to a superior would foster a sense of solidarity and lead to increased authoritarianism, this hypothesis was not supported.