Authoritarianism, Prejudice, and Alienation among Afrikaners

Summary Since the pioneering work of Adorno et al. it has generally been believed that authoritarians are not only ethnocentric, but alienated from the rest of society as well. A study among Afrikaners in South Africa yielded conflicting results (N = 171 male and female undergraduates). Respondents scoring high on a measure of authoritarian personality were found not to be ethnocentric and not to be alienated. These findings are discussed briefly in view of the present situation in South Africa.