Original scientific paper

Analysis of Relation between Authoritarianism and Perception of Democracy in Students' Population

Dinka čORKALO
Natalija STANKOVIĆ

Abstract

In this article we examined the contribution of
sociodemographic variables (sex, parental education,
self-assessment of socioeconomic status, subjects’
residential background, importance of religion and type of
subjects’ faculty) in predicting authoritarianism, as well as
the relation between authoritarianism and perception of
democracy in Croatia. The questionnaire tapping
authoritarianism (twelve items) and perception of
democracy (eight items) was administered to a stratified
sample of university students in Zagreb, Croatia
(N = 334). Multiple regression analysis indicates a
statistically significant contribution of sex, father’s
education, importance of religion and type of the
faculty in explanation of the results obtained on
authoritarianism scale. This regression model explains
38% of variance in authoritarianism. Our results
corroborated previous results obtained in Western
countries. Authoritarianism correlates positively but
moderately with the perception of democracy in Croatia
(r = 0.317). High authoritarians are less critical toward
the achieved degree of democracy in Croatia. They differ
from low authoritarians on seven of eight Democracy
Scale items.

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

20298

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/20298

Publication date:

28.2.2000.

Article data in other languages: croatian german

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