Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

Spring 5-6-2026

Faculty Advisor(s)

Dr. John Compton

Abstract

This research project examines how at-home values might explain an individual's view on political compromise. Using the 2024 American National Election Studies (ANES) survey data, I study the relationship between authoritarian child-rearing preferences and support for political compromise. While existing research has linked authoritarian values to attitudes such as prejudice and support for strong leaders, less attention has been paid to how those same values shape attitudes toward political negotiation. My hypothesis is that people who prioritize obedience, respect, and good manners over independence and curiosity in children reflect broader goals toward order and stability, and that those preferences translate into a lower tolerance for belief updating and a reduced willingness to support compromise. To test this, I construct two key variables from the ANES data. Support for compromise is measured by combining two survey questions that capture whether respondents prefer politicians who compromise or stick to their principles, along with the strength of their feelings about that choice. Authoritarian values are measured using an index built from four child-rearing questions where respondents chose between paired traits, such as obedience versus self-reliance. I then analyze the relationship between these variables using regression models while accounting for partisanship and basic demographic information. I expect that individuals who score higher on the authoritarian child-rearing scale will be less supportive of political compromise, potentially because they interpret compromise not as a neutral negotiation but as an admission of being wrong or a giving up of deeply held values. These findings suggest that resistance to compromise is rooted in value systems formed early in life, with broader implications for understanding political polarization in the United States.

Comments

Presented at the Spring 2026 Student Scholar Symposium at Chapman University.

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