Abstract
A sample of devout Christian adults, ranging widely in political orientation, described what their lives (and the world) might be like had they never embraced faith. Politically conservative Christians (also scoring high on right-wing authoritarianism) tended to imagine a life deficient in impulse control, wherein unrestrained sexual and aggressive urges, addictive behaviors, and human selfishness undermined the social good. By contrast, politically liberal Christians (also scoring low on right-wing authoritarianism) imagined an empty and barren world, devoid of the emotional intensity that makes life worth living. Gender differences were also observed, but they did not interfere with the relation between political orientation and the narrative themes. In accord with theoretical writings regarding normative and humanistic ideologies, the findings suggest that, at least among American Christians, political conservatism may entail a fear of, or strong sensitivity to, the prospects of conflict and chaos, whereas political liberalism may entail an equally strong fear of, or sensitivity to, emptiness.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1668-1672 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Journal of Research in Personality |
| Volume | 42 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 2008 |
Funding
The authors thank Regina Logan, Katie White, Katie Magrino, Raelle Wilson, and Jen Pals Lilgendahl for assistance in data collection and Brad Olson and Tasha Richardson for assistance in data analysis. The research was supported by a grant to Dan P. McAdams to establish the Foley Center for the Study of Lives at Northwestern University.
Keywords
- Authoritarianism
- Counterfactual thinking
- Political attitudes
- Religion
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Psychology
- General Psychology