The Populist Appeal: Personality and Anti-establishment Communication

With the election of Donald Trump and landmark wins for populists across Europe, one of today's most pressing questions is: why do people support populists? We theorize that citizens who score low on the personality trait Agreeableness -- those who are more distrusting, cynical and tough-minded -- are more susceptible to anti-establishment messages expressed by populists. Using thirteen population-based cross-sectional samples collected in eight countries and three continents, we first show that individuals who score low on Agreeableness are more likely to support populists. Moreover, with a conjoint experiment, we demonstrate that it is their anti-establishment message, which makes populists attractive to people who score low on Agreeableness. As such, this paper outlines a broader theoretical framework that links personality to political persuasion. In a time when politicians tailor their messages to the psychological make-up of their voters, it is crucial to understand the interplay between political communication and personality.