An Analysis of Trump Supporters Has Identified 5 Key Traits
A new report sheds light on the psychological basis for Trump's support.

Posted Dec 31, 2019 Gage Skidmore/Creative Commons
The lightning-fast ascent and political invincibility of Donald Trump has left many experts baffled and wondering, “How did we get here?” Any accurate and sufficient answer to that question must not only focus on Trump himself, but also on his uniquely loyal supporters. Given their extreme devotion and unwavering admiration for their highly unpredictable and often inflammatory leader, some have turned to the field of psychology for scientific explanations based on precise quantitative data and established theoretical frameworks.

Although analyses and studies by psychologists and neuroscientists have provided many thought-provoking explanations for his enduring support, the accounts of different experts often vary greatly, sometimes overlapping and other times conflicting. However insightful these critiques may be, it is apparent that more research and examination is needed to hone in on the exact psychological and social factors underlying this peculiar human behavior.

In a recent review paper published in the Journal of Social and Political Psychology, Psychologist and UC Santa Cruz professor Thomas Pettigrew argues that five major psychological phenomena can help explain this exceptional political event.

1. Authoritarian Personality Syndrome

Authoritarianism refers to the advocacy or enforcement of strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom, and is commonly associated with a lack of concern for the opinions or needs of others. Authoritarian personality syndrome—a well-studied and globally-prevalent condition—is a state of mind that is characterized by belief in total and complete obedience to one’s authority. Those with the syndrome often display aggression toward outgroup members, submissiveness to authority, resistance to new experiences, and a rigid hierarchical view of society. The syndrome is often triggered by fear, making it easy for leaders who exaggerate threat or fear monger to gain their allegiance.

Although authoritarian personality is found among liberals, it is more common among the right-wing around the world. President Trump’s speeches, which are laced with absolutist terms like “losers” and “complete disasters,” are naturally appealing to those with the syndrome.

While research showed that Republican voters in the U.S. scored higher than Democrats on measures of authoritarianism before Trump emerged on the political scene, a 2016 Politico survey found that high authoritarians greatly favored then-candidate Trump, which led to a correct prediction that he would win the election, despite the polls saying otherwise.

2. Social dominance orientation

Social dominance orientation (SDO)—which is distinct but related to authoritarian personality syndrome—refers to people who have a preference for the societal hierarchy of groups, specifically with a structure in which the high-status groups have dominance over the low-status ones. Those with SDO are typically dominant, tough-minded, and driven by self-interest.

In Trump’s speeches, he appeals to those with SDO by repeatedly making a clear distinction between groups that have a generally higher status in society (White), and those groups that are typically thought of as belonging to a lower status (immigrants and minorities).

A 2016 survey study of 406 American adults published this year in the journal Personality and Individual Differences found that those who scored high on both SDO and authoritarianism were those who intended to vote for Trump in the election.

3. Prejudice

It would be grossly unfair and inaccurate to say that every one of Trump’s supporters have prejudice against ethnic and religious minorities, but it would be equally inaccurate to say that many do not. It is a well-known fact that the Republican party, going at least as far back to Richard Nixon’s “southern strategy,” used strategies that appealed to bigotry, such as lacing speeches with “dog whistles”—code words that signaled prejudice toward minorities that were designed to be heard by racists but no one else.

While the dog whistles of the past were more subtle, Trump’s are sometimes shockingly direct. There’s no denying that he routinely appeals to bigoted supporters when he calls Muslims “dangerous” and Mexican immigrants “rapists” and “murderers,” often in a blanketed fashion. Perhaps unsurprisingly, a new study has shown that support for Trump is correlated with a standard scale of modern racism.

4. Intergroup contact
Intergroup contact refers to contact with members of groups that are outside one’s own, which has been experimentally shown to reduce prejudice. As such, it’s important to note that there is growing evidence that Trump’s white supporters have experienced significantly less contact with minorities than other Americans. For example, a 2016 study found that “…the racial and ethnic isolation of Whites at the zip-code level is one of the strongest predictors of Trump support.” This correlation persisted while controlling for dozens of other variables. In agreement with this finding, the same researchers found that support for Trump increased with the voters’ physical distance from the Mexican border.
5. Relative deprivation

Relative deprivation refers to the experience of being deprived of something to which one believes they are entitled. It is the discontent felt when one compares their position in life to others who they feel are equal or inferior but have unfairly had more success than them.

Common explanations for Trump’s popularity among non-bigoted voters involve economics. There is no doubt that some Trump supporters are simply angry that American jobs are being lost to Mexico and China, which is certainly understandable, although these loyalists often ignore the fact that some of these careers are actually being lost due to the accelerating pace of automation.

These Trump supporters are experiencing relative deprivation, and are common among the swing states like Ohio, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. This kind of deprivation is specifically referred to as “relative,” as opposed to “absolute,” because the feeling is often based on a skewed perception of what one is entitled to. For example, an analysis conducted by FiveThirtyEight estimated that the median annual income of Trump supporters was $72,000.

If such data is accurate, the portrayal of most Trump supporters as “working class” citizens rebelling against Republican elites may be more myth than fact.

You speak, in a negative way, of the difficulty of understanding the loyalty of citizens supporting Trump. But, in actual fact, loyalty to Trump cannot really compare to the blind loyalty given to Obama, a man who was totally unheard of outside of Chicago before running for president. Immediately, thus man had the vote of the vast majority of black citizens, not because of his vision for the USA, his vision for black Americans, not for his promises, but for ONE thing --- his dark skin, his race. He had many, many voters of other races, especially white citizens, and for the very same reason -- because he was black. The blacks believed that he would accomplish much for them. The whites were quite willing to give him a chance, always hoping, no doubt, that a black president would finally put the end to racism in this country. Everything else was totally ignored,. Even after all his words and actions against the USA, his followers, the ignorant blacks and the ultra liberal whites and the Democrats idolized the man as soon as they (the leftists/socialists/globalists/democrats) understood the real Obama behind the charm, the one that disliked Anerica and everything it stood for as much as they did. Because of this idolization, they have him everything, total support by the media and the congressional Democrats. It never mattered if the Obamas were right or wrong, if they acted for or against the USA and Americans. He was one of them and so was she. All their supporters remain supporters and continue to idolize that couple and continue to protect them and deny ANY wrongdoing, no matter the facts that have come out with irrefutable proof. So, stop with your unwarranted criticisms and put-downs of people voting for Trump. You all who supported the Obamas as they refuted our flag, our Pledge of Alligiance, our national anthem, our nation's statues and emblems, as they went throughout the entire world APOLOGIZING for America, as they said finally there was a moment they were proud of America, as they deliberately enflamed racism in the USA and promoted muslims and Islam, yes as you all continued your idolization of this couple, refusing to see the truths. But, from the moment Trump announced his candidacy for presidency, you all jumped on the Obama/Hillary train of hatred fir this man and you have never, ever let up, but instead, grew your virulent and poisonous hatred of this man and set out to destroy him, all because he upset your plans to continue the legacy of your Obama idols. So, don't bother with any more talk about how horrible Trump is and how dumb/uneducated/stupid/deplorable/racist anyone voting fir him is. Your credibility is shot for criticizing any president, past or future, because of your total refusal to see the truth about YOUR president. And do not bother to deny how willing you all would have been to total destroy ANYONE who had declared that Obama was NOT their president! Enough of this hypocritical crap from all of you! You have the right to support any political candidate you wish, but you do NOT have the right to try to destroy any other person simply because their views are different from yours or because the candidate is not the one YOU wanted.