Parenting, temperament, and attachment security as antecedents of political orientation: Longitudinal evidence from early childhood to age 26.

Abstract

This article examines early childhood antecedents of adults' political orientation. Using longitudinal data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, we investigate associations between parenting beliefs and behaviors, child temperament, and attachment security during early childhood in relation to adult political ideology and party affiliation at age 26 years (N ϭ 1,364). Young children's fearful temperament and anxious attachment security, as well as mothers' authoritarian parenting beliefs in early childhood, predicted conservative political orientations at age 26. Children's abilities to focus attention and avoidant attachment security predicted liberal orientations. These findings provide evidence that multiple aspects of early developmental experience-temperament, parenting, and infant-mother attachment-are associated with later political orientations.

Factors Affecting the Perception of Disability: A Developmental Perspective

“…In some countries (e.g., China), the authoritarian parenting style is very common, whereas others (e.g., the United States) widely promote authoritative parenting style ( Chen et al, 1997 ; Majumder, 2016 ). Authoritarian parenting may produce insecurely attached children with low self-esteem, low levels of empathy and sympathy, and fearful temperament ( Bryant, 1987 ; Janssens and Gerris, 1992 ; Krevans and Gibbs, 1996 ; Hoffman, 2000 ) – the individual characteristics associated with conservative views, avoidance-oriented behaviors, high level of intergroup biases, and negative attitudes toward out-groups and individuals with disabilities ( Jost et al, 2003 ; Fraley et al, 2012 ; Wegemer and Vandell, 2020 ). By contrast, authoritative parenting may produce securely attached children with high self-esteem, high levels of empathy and sympathy, and expressive, social personality ( Hastings et al, 2002 ) – the individual characteristics associated with liberal views, approach-oriented behaviors, low level of intergroup biases, and positive attitudes toward out-groups and individuals with disabilities ( Ladd and Pettit, 2002 ; Jost et al, 2003 ; Fraley et al, 2012 ; Wang et al, 2019 ; Wegemer and Vandell, 2020 ).…”

“…By contrast, fearful, indecisive, withdrawn, inhibited, rigid, and easily victimized children became timorous, uncomfortable with uncertainty, loving structure and order, rigid adults ( Van Hiel and Mervielde, 2004 ; Block and Block, 2006 ; Jost et al, 2007 ). As adults, such individuals supported conservative views, promoting traditional values, established modes of behavior, strict rules, domestic surveillance, resistance to change, restricted immigration, and acceptance of inequality ( Jost et al, 2003 ; Block and Block, 2006 ; McAdams et al, 2008 ; Janoff-Bulman, 2009 ; Wegemer and Vandell, 2020 ). Thus, early temperament may facilitate the development of personality traits that would promote or impede the formation of intergroup biases and negative attitudes toward out-group members in general and individuals with disabilities in particular.…”

“…Research on permissive and uninvolved parenting styles in relation to children’s views and attitudes produced inconclusive results. By contrast, the authoritarian parenting style has been shown to be associated with conservative views in grown-up children, whereas authoritative parenting is associated with liberal views ( Adorno et al, 1950 ; Jost et al, 2003 ; Oesterreich, 2005 ; Fraley et al, 2012 ; Wegemer and Vandell, 2020 ). In general, under-controlled children tend to grow up to be adults with liberal views, while over-controlled children often become conservatives ( Block and Block, 2006 ).…”

“…Responsive parenting establishes a secure base for the exploration of environment and tolerance of novelty and uncertainty ( Mikulincer and Shaver, 2001 ). In general, secure attachment is typically associated with liberalism, whereas insecure anxious-ambivalent attachment is linked to conservative views in grown-up children ( Mikulincer, 1997 ; Mikulincer and Florian, 2000 ; Mikulincer and Shaver, 2001 ; Koleva and Rip, 2009 ; Wegemer and Vandell, 2020 ).…”

Personality Approaches to Political Behavior

“…Relying upon the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development study in the United States, Fraley, Griffin, Belsky, and Roisman (2012); Wegemer and Vandell (2020) reported two conceptual replications. Childhood personality was measured when children were 54 months old and age 18 and 26 the completed measures of political ideology.…”