Possible Psychosocial Factors Having an Impact on The Worldviews and Political Orientation in Turkey

Abstract This research investigates psychosocial paths towards worldviews and political orientation in view of basic human values, Big Five, Dark Triad, and early maladaptive schemas with an adult sample from Turkey through individual mediation analyses. Venn diagrams are used to visualize possible convergence and divergence points for selected variables. Rightwing political orientation is correlated with vulnerability to harm and illness, entitlement, Machiavellianism, religiosity, tradition, security, conformity, rightwing authoritarianism (RWA) and social dominance orientation (SDO) positively; and universalism, self-direction, hedonism, belief in a dangerous world (BDW) negatively, but is not correlated with belief in a competitive jungle world (BCJW). Where early maladaptive schemas are the predictors, benevolence, universalism power, achievement, psychopathy, Machiavellianism concerning BCJW; emotional stability, extraversion, security, Machiavellianism concerning BDW; agreeableness, intellect/imagination, universalism, power, Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, BCJW concerning SDO are among the most repeated individual mediators. The paths from the earlier maladaptive schemas towards RWA and rightwing political orientation are more diverse than the ones towards BCJW, BDW, and SDO. A wider range of predictors and mediators has an effect on BCJW compared to other outcome variables; including the rightwing political orientation, comprising the narrowest range. Mostly two, at times three-four patterns occurred during the individual mediation analyses.