CHFA | Psychology Department Showcase: Completed Projects

The Role of Activism in the Political Ideology & Locus of Control Relationship

Presenter Information

Ashlen GrubbsFollow

Academic Level at Time of Presentation

Senior

Major

Psychology & Behavioral Analysis

Minor

Sociology

List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)

Gage Jordan, PhD.

Presentation Format

Oral Presentation

Abstract/Description

Increasing polarization in American politics has seemed to only worsen over the last several decades (Abramowitz & Saunders 2005; Jost, 2006). Republicans tend to endorse an internal locus of control (LOC; with internal LOC individuals believing that one's outcomes are attributable to their abilities/behavior; Rotter, 1966), whereas Democrats tend to endorse an external LOC (Sweetser, 2014). As such, we hypothesized that our results would replicate these previous findings. Furthermore, we anticipated that activism would moderate the relationship between LOC and political ideology; specifically, such that higher levels of activism will strengthen the relationship between liberal ideology and external locus of control. Further, political ideology has been linked to the Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality; specifically, trait conscientiousness is positively correlated with conservatism (Carney, et. al., 2008), whereas trait openness to experience is positively correlated with liberalism (Mondak & Halperin, 2008). Trait extraversion is also a robust predictor of political activism (Madercic & Hlupic, 2020). Therefore, this project also aims to delineate the inter-relationships between LOC, political ideology, and activism, as well as the FFM and pathological personality traits. This study recruited undergraduate students from the SONA system pool at Murray State University and asked participants to complete a battery of measures, online, inquiring about their political ideology, levels of activism, and personality.

Results from this study replicate previous findings regarding political ideology and LOC, as well as ideology and openness to experience. In addition, the results from this study suggest that activism moderates the relationship between ideology and locus of control. That is, higher levels of activism appear to strengthen the relationship between conservative ideology and internal LOC. Further research should attempt to replicate and confirm these findings, specifically investigating if the moderation model functions in more progressive populations, or if the moderation is the consequence of local political realities.

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Psychology: Completed Projects

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The Role of Activism in the Political Ideology & Locus of Control Relationship

Increasing polarization in American politics has seemed to only worsen over the last several decades (Abramowitz & Saunders 2005; Jost, 2006). Republicans tend to endorse an internal locus of control (LOC; with internal LOC individuals believing that one's outcomes are attributable to their abilities/behavior; Rotter, 1966), whereas Democrats tend to endorse an external LOC (Sweetser, 2014). As such, we hypothesized that our results would replicate these previous findings. Furthermore, we anticipated that activism would moderate the relationship between LOC and political ideology; specifically, such that higher levels of activism will strengthen the relationship between liberal ideology and external locus of control. Further, political ideology has been linked to the Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality; specifically, trait conscientiousness is positively correlated with conservatism (Carney, et. al., 2008), whereas trait openness to experience is positively correlated with liberalism (Mondak & Halperin, 2008). Trait extraversion is also a robust predictor of political activism (Madercic & Hlupic, 2020). Therefore, this project also aims to delineate the inter-relationships between LOC, political ideology, and activism, as well as the FFM and pathological personality traits. This study recruited undergraduate students from the SONA system pool at Murray State University and asked participants to complete a battery of measures, online, inquiring about their political ideology, levels of activism, and personality.

Results from this study replicate previous findings regarding political ideology and LOC, as well as ideology and openness to experience. In addition, the results from this study suggest that activism moderates the relationship between ideology and locus of control. That is, higher levels of activism appear to strengthen the relationship between conservative ideology and internal LOC. Further research should attempt to replicate and confirm these findings, specifically investigating if the moderation model functions in more progressive populations, or if the moderation is the consequence of local political realities.