TY - JOUR
T1 - Political ideology
T2 - Its structure, functions, and elective affinities
AU - Jost, John T.
AU - Federico, Christopher M.
AU - Napier, Jaime L.
PY - 2009/1
Y1 - 2009/1
N2 - Ideology has re-emerged as an important topic of inquiry among social, personality, and political psychologists. In this review, we examine recent theory and research concerning the structure, contents, and functions of ideological belief systems. We begin by defining the construct and placing it in Instorical and philosophical context. We then examine different perspectives on how many (and what types of) dimensions individuals use to organize their political opinions. We investigate (a) how and to what extent individuals acquire the discursive contents associated with various ideologies, and (b) the social-psychological functions that these ideologies serve for those who adopt them. Our review highlights "elective affinities" between situational and dispositional needs of individuals and groups and the structure and contents of specific ideologies. Finally, we consider the consequences of ideology, especially with respect to attitudes, evaluations, and processes of system justification.
AB - Ideology has re-emerged as an important topic of inquiry among social, personality, and political psychologists. In this review, we examine recent theory and research concerning the structure, contents, and functions of ideological belief systems. We begin by defining the construct and placing it in Instorical and philosophical context. We then examine different perspectives on how many (and what types of) dimensions individuals use to organize their political opinions. We investigate (a) how and to what extent individuals acquire the discursive contents associated with various ideologies, and (b) the social-psychological functions that these ideologies serve for those who adopt them. Our review highlights "elective affinities" between situational and dispositional needs of individuals and groups and the structure and contents of specific ideologies. Finally, we consider the consequences of ideology, especially with respect to attitudes, evaluations, and processes of system justification.
KW - Authoritarianism
KW - Motivated social cognition
KW - Political orientation
KW - System justification
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U2 - 10.1146/annurev.psych.60.110707.163600
DO - 10.1146/annurev.psych.60.110707.163600
M3 - Review article
C2 - 19035826
AN - SCOPUS:60549113915
SN - 0066-4308
VL - 60
SP - 307
EP - 337
JO - Annual review of psychology
JF - Annual review of psychology
ER -