Bob Altemeyer

The bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City, the emergence of militias and skinheads, the rise of the religious right, the attacks on Planned Parenthood clinics, the backlash against equal rights movements, the increase in poverty...these, according to Bob Altemeyer, are all versions of one story--the authoritarian personality in action. But aren't authoritarians Nazi types, kooks, the Klan? These are just the extreme examples, he argues. The Authoritarian Specter shows that many ordinary people today are psychologically disposed to embrace antidemocratic, fascist policies. The book presents the latest results from a prize-winning research program on the authoritarian personality--a victory for the scientific method in the struggle to understand the worst aspects of ourselves. It connects for the first time the many ways authoritarianism undermines democracy. Many of our biggest problems, seemingly unrelated, have authoritarian roots. The scientific studies demonstrating this are extensive and thorough; their powerful findings are presented in a conversational, clear manner that engages readers from all backgrounds. This is an important, timely work. It explains a growing movement to submit to a "man on horseback," to attack those who are different, to march in lockstep. Altemeyer reveals that these sentiments are strongly held even by many American lawmakers. These discoveries deserve careful attention in a presidential election year. source: Harvard University Press

Insights into the authoritarian personality, revealing why right-wing authoritarian tendencies develop in some individuals and not in others and how that predisposition toward authoritarianism can be measured. Written by Bob Altemeyer, retired Professor of Psychology at the University of Manitoba, an expert on authoritarianism and authoritarian following who refined the theory into the concept and measure. His first book, Right-Wing Authoritarianism, reported the results of fifteen years of research on the "pre-Fascist personality" in North American society. Altemeyer wrote extensively on the subject, sometimes in partnership with Conservative politicians who were concerned about the extremist direction of the Republican Party in America.

Ever since John W. Dean published his Conservatives Without Conscience in 2006, much interest has been vested in the research of Dr. Bob Altemeyer that was so prominently featured in the book. In CWC, Dean set out to learn why modern conservatives seemed to think and behave in ways diametrically opposite the righteous and moral values they so publicly espoused. What he discovered was an existing body of scientific research tracing back to the cinders of the Holocaust. This research focused on the Authoritarian Personality, which social scientists believe was the enabling element within German society that was so deftly exploited by Adolph Hitler and the Third Reich. Bob Altemeyer studied the authoritarian personality for over 40 years while a professor of psychology. His experiments drew high praise from other scientists, and won the American Association for the Advancement of Science's Prize for Behavioral Science Research. This book summarizes his many findings, and has been widely acclaimed for the relaxed, conversational way the author presents far-reaching and penetrating insights into American life today. -- source: Publisher In the nonfiction audiobook The Authoritarians, psychologist Bob Altemeyer shares his research on the aggressive and hostile nature of the authoritarian personality and the rise of the Right-Wing Authoritarian personality in the United States.... In a clear and direct voice, Altemeyer performs his own fascinating work. He details how authoritarianism is destroying traditional conservatism and what this means for the future of American politics and democracy. -- source: Audible

Altemeyer begins by closely examining the scientific literature on right-wing authoritarianism. This timely volume surveys the history of social psychological research on right-wing authoritarianism and describes a more fruitful direction for future work. It concludes with a disturbing comment on the pervasiveness of authoritarian behavior in our society. Contents Introduction 1. A critique of previous social psychological research on right-wing authoritarianism 2. The response set issue 3. A suggested conceptualization of right-wing authoritarianism 4. A test of the construct validity of the RWA and five other authoritarian scales 5. Explorations of the dynamics and covariates of right-wing authoritarianism 6. Some exploratory findings on the origins of right-wing authoritarianism Epilogue Appendixes Notes

How did America end up with a leader who acts so crudely and despotically, and counter to our democratic principles? Why do his followers stick with him, even when he acts against their own interests? To fully understand, John Dean, a man with a history of standing up to autocratic presidents, joined with Bob Altemeyer, a professor of psychology with a unique area of expertise: Authoritarianism. Relying on social science findings and psychological diagnostic tools (such as the "Power Mad Scale" and the "Con Man Scale"), as well as research and analysis from the Monmouth University Polling Institute (one of America's most respected public opinion research foundations), the authors provide us with an eye-opening understanding of the Trump phenomenon — and how we may be able to stop it.