Which of the following is a dimension evaluated by the authoritarian personality scales?

The authoritarian personality scales, developed to measure traits associated with authoritarianism, often evaluate the dimension of dominance versus submission. This aspect is crucial because individuals with an authoritarian personality typically exhibit a preference for hierarchical structures and power dynamics, often valuing dominance over submission in social interactions and relationships.

By focusing on this dimension, the scales assess how individuals relate to authority figures and their expectations of social order. Those who score high on the authoritarian personality traits tend to support strong authority and may display aggressive tendencies towards those they perceive as subordinate, while also expecting strict adherence to societal rules and norms.

The other dimensions, while relevant to personality traits more broadly, do not specifically capture the essence of the authoritarian personality as defined in psychological literature. For instance, creativity versus conformity relates to openness to new ideas, and empathy versus hostility pertains to emotional responses towards others, neither of which directly address the central theme of authority dynamics emphasized in the authoritarian personality framework.