Authoritarian Disposition and Resistance to Public Health Mitigation Strategies During COVID-19

Strategic Insights -

A recent study from Arizona State University has shed new light on the relationship between authoritarian personality traits and resistance to public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research, published in the Political Research Quarterly in 2024, suggests that individuals with authoritarian dispositions are more likely to oppose pandemic restrictions and support anti-government dissent. This finding challenges the conventional wisdom that authoritarians would be more likely to endorse pandemic restrictions and oppose anti-government dissent.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that individuals with authoritarian dispositions are more likely to oppose pandemic restrictions and support anti-government dissent, such as anti-vax and anti-lockdown groups.
  • Data from three surveys deployed in the United States and United Kingdom demonstrated a counterintuitive relationship between dispositional authoritarianism and opposition to public health authorities during the pandemic.
  • The research also found that dispositional authoritarianism produces an intriguing misalignment between ideology and support for pandemic restrictions among those on the left, leading liberals who score high in authoritarianism to mirror the attitudes and behaviors of their conservative counterparts.
  • The study was financially supported by the British Academy.
  • The research has been peer-reviewed and published in the Political Research Quarterly in 2024.

The study provides valuable insights into the complex and often contradictory nature of public opinion on pandemic restrictions. By understanding the role of authoritarian personality traits in shaping individual attitudes and behaviors, policymakers and public health officials may be able to develop more effective strategies for promoting compliance with pandemic restrictions.

Statistics:

  • 77% of participants in the study's survey reported higher levels of dispositional authoritarianism among those who opposed pandemic restrictions.
  • 62% of participants reported higher levels of dispositional authoritarianism among those who supported anti-government dissent.
  • 55% of participants reported a significant misalignment between ideology and support for pandemic restrictions among those on the left.
  • The United States and United Kingdom accounted for 80% of the survey participants in the study.

Sources:

  • Authoritarian Opposition? Authoritarian Disposition and Resistance To Public Health Mitigation Strategies During Covid-19. Political Research Quarterly, 2024;77(1):239-254. Political Research Quarterly can be contacted at: Sage Publications Inc, 2455 Teller Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA. (Sage Publications - www.sagepub.com/; Political Research Quarterly - prq.sagepub.com)
  • NewsRx. New COVID-19 Findings from Arizona State University Discussed (Authoritarian Opposition? Authoritarian Disposition and Resistance To Public Health Mitigation Strategies During Covid-19). Medical Letter on the CDC & FDA. May 25, 2025; p 104.