Cults of personality, preference falsification, and the dictator’s dilemma

Bibliographic Data

ID6299804
AuthorsCharles Crabtree (0000-0001-5144-8671, Dartmouth College), Holger L Kern (Florida State University), Holger Kern (Florida State University, corresponding author), David A Siegel (0000-0003-1619-6119, Duke University)
Year2020
Volume32
Issue3
Pages409-434
Publication date2020-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Theoretical Politics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0951-6298 • E-ISSN: 1460-3667
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0951629820927790
OpenAlexW2985913256
LanguageEN
Citations received12
References cited58

We offer a novel rational explanation for cults of personality. Participation in a cult of personality is psychologically costly whenever it involves preference falsification, with the costs varying across individuals. We highlight two characteristics associated with lower individual costs of preference falsification: (i) loyalty to the regime and (ii) unscrupulousness. Different characteristics might serve the regime better in different roles. Using a simple formal screening model, we demonstrate that one’s participation in a cult of personality improves the dictator’s personnel decisions under a wide variety of circumstances. Decisions are most improved when subordinates’ characteristics that better enable cult participation are correspondingly valued by dictators. Dictators who can manipulate the costs that cult participants pay find it easiest to ensure that correspondence. Our model also highlights the importance to dictators of not believing their own propaganda, and their need to offer increasingly extreme acts of cult participation as old acts become normalized

Big Five personality traits · Business · Cult · Dictator · Dictator game · Dilemma · Economics · Epistemology · Facet (psychology · Loyalty · Microeconomics · Personality · Political science · Positive economics · Preference · Rationality · Variety (cybernetics · Computer Science · Corruption and Economic Development · Culture, Economy, and Development Studies · Law · Media Influence and Politics · Psychology · Social Psychology · Artificial Intelligence · Marketing

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