A dual-process motivational approach to understanding antisemitism: The role of authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, and conspiracy mentality

Antisemitism remains a persistent challenge in contemporary societies, yet its psychological underpinnings are not well understood. Building on the dual-process motivational (DPM) model of ideology and prejudice, this study examined the extent to which antisemitism is rooted in broader ideological dispositions - right-wing authoritarianism (RWA), social dominance orientation (SDO), and conspiracy mentality. Using a nationwide online survey of German adults ( N = 457), bivariate and multivariate analyses indicate that conspiracy mentality is the strongest correlate of antisemitic attitudes, followed by individual differences in SDO. These findings support the view that antisemitism is embedded within a broader ideological belief system characterized by anti-egalitarian and conspiratorial worldviews. The role of conspiratorial worldviews as a potential distinct motivational pathway to prejudice within the DPM model is discussed.