Personality correlates of prejudice against AIDS victims

Abstract

For a variety of reasons, the classic personality psychology construct of the authoritarian personality ought likely to be linked with prejudicial attitudes toward persons with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). In this study of 177 college students, we tested that relation, while at the same time we included a number of likely correlates of authoritarianism: tough-mindedness (e.g., low n nurturance, high n aggression), low intelligence, absolutist ethical thinking, self-righteousness, sexual conservatism, and religiosity. Nearly all of the predictors accounted for small portions of variance in prejudice. The five best predictors of prejudice—authoritarianism, low nurturance, ethical absolutism, low intelligence, and male gender—yielded a multiple R of.57. © 1991, The Psychonomic Society, Inc.. All rights reserved.