Some Personality and Attitudinal Correlates of Dogmatism

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
61 undergraduate psychology students were administered the Troldahl-Powell 20-item form of the Dogmatism scale along with the MMPI, the Politico-economic Conservatism scale (Form 60), and an adaptation of the Bogardus Social Distance scale. Dogmatism was positively related to conservatism and rejection of minorities and groups associated with unconventionality and social change. The Troldahl-Powell 20-item scale, like Rokeach's Form E, appears to be a better measure of rightist than leftist authoritarianism. Rokeach's suggestion that a neurotic factor may underlie leftist dogmatism, as opposed to a psychopathic one in the case of rightist dogmatism, was not supported, as the more dogmatic Ss, also the more conservative, showed significant tendencies in the direction of neurosis and psychosis but none toward psychopathy. Also, the less dogmatic Ss were inclined to deny possession of unfavorable personality characteristics. Thus, low scores on the Dogmatism scale may indicate a defensive factor as well as genuine “open-mindedness.”