Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA, Altemeyer)
Psychology: Values & BeliefsReliability: alpha 0.85–0.933 sample items
About this scale
A 20-item (or short forms) measure of authoritarian submission, conventionalism, and authoritarian aggression. The dominant authoritarianism measure in political and social psychology.
Sample item(s)
“Our country desperately needs a mighty leader who will do what has to be done”
“The 'old-fashioned ways' and the 'old-fashioned values' still show the best way to live”
“God's laws about abortion, pornography and marriage must be strictly followed before it is too late”
Reliability
Reported internal consistency: alpha 0.85–0.93. As a rule of thumb, Cronbach’s α ≥ .70 is considered acceptable, ≥ .80 good, and ≥ .90 excellent for established measures.
Notes
Free for academic use.
Source & citation
Altemeyer, B. (2006): The Authoritarians. Winnipeg, MB: University of Manitoba.
Source. Scale details are summarised from the publication cited above. Always consult the original source for the full item set, scoring, and permission to use.
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