Authoritarianism revisited: genetic and environmental influences examined in twins reared apart and together

Historically, authoritarian attitudes have been attributed to influences wi thin the rearing environment, based on the incorrect assumption that simila rity between family members demonstrates cultural transmission. To unconfou nd environmental and genetic influences, this paper examines right-wing aut horitarianism [RWA; Altemeyer, B. (1981). Right-wing authoritarianism. Winn ipeg: University of Ottowa; Altemeyer, B. (1988). Enemies of freedom. San F rancisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers] employing data from 39 monozygotic and 38 dizygotic adult reared apart twin pairs and 423 monozygotic and 434 dizygo tic adult reared together twin pairs. Genetic factors accounted for about 5 0% and unshared environment for 35% of the phenotypic variance; either comm on environment or assortative mating could explain the remaining reliable v ariance. Similarity in cognitive ability did not underlie the twin correlat ions on authoritarianism. Purportedly relevant environmental variables from the Moos and Moos Family Environmental Scale (FES), the Block Environment Questionnaire (BEQ) and the MISTRA life history were associated with RWA sc ores for individuals reared by biological relatives; among adoptees, howeve r, these variables are unrelated to RWA scores. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science L td. All rights reserved.