NAEB Newsletter (Apr 1952)

- 18 - The results of the broad program of research can only be sailed here* One interest¬ ing passage sunmrizes txhe types of "syndromes" found among persons high on measures of authoritarian potential, tfe offer a condensed version of two of the 6 syndromes so that you may sample the findings; 1. Surface resentment. This is really a sociological type which includes the "more rational, either conscious or preconscious, manifestations of prejudice." Such per¬ sons have a "generality of prejudiced outlook;" they "accept stereotypes of prejudice from outside, as ready made formulae, as it were, in order to rationalize and psycho¬ logically or actually, overcon© overt difficulties of their own existence." They are able to give sensible reasons for their prejudice and are accessible to rational argu¬ ment. "Here belongs the discontented, grumbling family father who is happy if some¬ body else can be blamed for his own economic failures, and even happier if he can de¬ rive material advantages from anti-minority discrimination..." 2. The manipulative. Regarded by the authors as "potentially the most dangerous one," this syndrome is defined by extreme stereotype. Organizational categories fill the outlook of this type of person, along with concern for the technical aspects of life, social and other. They treat everyone and everything as objects to be manipu¬ lated. They are sober and intelligent. "They do not even hate the Jews; they cope with them by administrative measures without any personal contacts with victims. Anti- Semitism is reified, an export article...Their cynicism is aLmost complete; ’The Jew¬ ish question will be solved strictly legally’, is the way they talk about the cold pogrom*..The ingroup-outgroup relationship becomes the principle according to which the whole world is abstractly organized." In Germany, Himmler personified this type • Space does not permit a similar summary of the types found at the other end of the scale. However, it is concluded that greater differences are found among the types of people who are low on the authoritarian scale than at the other extreme. The authors fortunately stated the policy implications of their research. One might think of radio programs on tolerance as he reads: "It follows directly from our major findings that counter-measures should take into account the whole structure of the prejudiced outlook. The major emphasis should be placed, it seems, not upon discrimination against particular minority groups, but upon such phenomena as s'+Treotypy, emotional coldness, identification with power, and~general destructive¬ ness! When one takes this view of the matter it is not difficult to see why measures to oppose social discrimination have not been more effective. Rational arguments cannot be expected to have deep or lasting effects upon a phenomenon that is irrational in its essential nature; appeals to sym¬ pathy may do as much harm as good when directed to people one of whose deepest fears is that they might be identified with weakness or suffering; closer association with members of minority groups can hardly be expected to influence people who are largely characterized by the inability to have experience, and liking for particular groups or individuals is very diffi¬ cult to establish in people whose structure is such that they cannot really like anybody; and if we should succeed in diverting hostility from one minority group we should be prevented from taking satisfaction by the knowledge that the hostility will now very probably be directed against some other group." (p. 973 emphasis supplied.)