Navigating Uncertainty

Previous studies suggest that personality traits (e.g., the Big Five) influence voting behavior for radical right parties (RRPs) indirectly via ideological variables or partisanship. We propose that tolerance for ambiguity – the ability to handle ambiguous situations – mediates the relationship between Big Five traits and ideological variables such as right-wing authoritarianism, populist attitudes, and anti-immigrant sentiment, which in turn relate to the propensity to vote for RRPs. Theoretically, we draw on the psychological entropy theory of personality, which suggests that personality reflects how individuals respond to uncertainty, to conceptualize the link between Big Five traits and tolerance for ambiguity. We assume that lower tolerance for ambiguity reflects a stronger epistemic motive – the desire for understanding, accuracy, and subjective certainty – which fosters right-wing authoritarianism, populist attitudes, and anti-immigrant sentiment. Using data from a German population sample (n = 1635, collected in 2020/21), we examine the propensity to vote for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) as an example of a radical-right party. Our findings show that lower tolerance for ambiguity is associated with stronger right-wing authoritarianism, populist attitudes, and anti-immigrant sentiment. Associations with the Big Five traits partly align with psychological entropy theory, though effect sizes are small.

doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2025.113449 Open Access