PERSONALITY AND CURRENT POLITICAL BELIEFS

A sample of 328 subjects completed a questionnaire measuring various p olitical beliefs. Part of the sample also filled in the Dutch NEO-FFI personality inventory. The aims of this study are as follows: (1) to d etermine the dimensional structure of current political beliefs and (2 ) to examine the relationship between the dimensions of political beli efs and personality. Factor analysis of the 126 political items reveal s four factors referring to general conservatism, humanitarian militar y interventions, fairness of taxation and general social welfare. Join t factor analysis indicates relationships between personality and poli tical beliefs similar to those reported by Riemann, Grubich, Hempel, M ergl and Richter, 1993.