DOGMATISM: A Review of the Concept and Its Implications
Abstract
The concept of dogmatism is an enduring and influential idea in psychology. This review provides an overview of this concept, with a focus on its theoretical foundations, measurement, and implications for behavior. Dogmatism is described as a person’s tendency to rigidly adhere to beliefs, and is often characterized by a resistance to changing beliefs. The review discusses the various ways in which dogmatism has been measured, including the Dogmatism Scale developed by Rokeach in 1960, as well as more recent measures. The review also covers the implications of dogmatism for behavior, including its effects on attitudes, prejudice, and cognitive processing.
Keywords: Dogmatism, attitudes, prejudice, cognitive processing
Introduction
Dogmatism is a concept that has been studied for many years in psychology. It has been defined as a “person’s tendency to rigidly adhere to beliefs” (Oswald, 2006, p. 569). Dogmatism is characterized by a resistance to changing beliefs, and a preference for unchallenged beliefs. Dogmatism has been linked to a variety of behaviors, including prejudice, conformity, and cognitive processing. This review provides an overview of the concept of dogmatism, with a focus on its theoretical foundations, measurement, and implications for behavior.
Theoretical Foundations
Dogmatism has been studied from a variety of theoretical perspectives. Early theorists, such as Allport (1954), focused on the concept of religious dogmatism, in which rigid adherence to religious beliefs was seen as a sign of mental health. This perspective was later expanded to include non-religious dogmatism, which was seen as a sign of psychological rigidity and lack of open-mindedness (Rokeach, 1960).
Rokeach (1960) proposed the concept of dogmatism as a psychological trait, which he defined as “a general tendency to be rigid, close-minded, and authoritarian in one’s attitudes” (p. 44). He proposed that dogmatism could be measured using a scale, which he developed based on the responses of college students to a series of questions about their beliefs. This scale, referred to as the Dogmatism Scale, has been widely used in research on dogmatism.
Measurement
The Dogmatism Scale developed by Rokeach (1960) is the most widely used measure of dogmatism. This scale consists of 36 items, each of which is rated on a 7-point scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). The scale is designed to measure a person’s willingness to change their beliefs in the face of new information. Higher scores on the Dogmatism Scale are indicative of greater dogmatism.
More recently, researchers have developed alternative measures of dogmatism. For example, Oswald and Grosjean (2004) developed the Dogmatism Questionnaire, which consists of eight items and is designed to measure a person’s tendency to reject new information. Similarly, Koole and van Leeuwen (2006) developed the Dogmatism Inventory, which consists of 12 items and is designed to measure a person’s tendency to reject new ideas.
Implications for Behavior
Dogmatism has been linked to a variety of behaviors. For example, research has found that dogmatism is associated with more negative attitudes towards out-groups and increased prejudice (Oswald et al., 2004; Koole & van Leeuwen, 2006). Dogmatism has also been linked to increased conformity, as individuals with higher levels of dogmatism are less likely to challenge existing beliefs (Oswald et al., 2004).
Dogmatism has also been linked to cognitive processing. Research has found that dogmatic individuals tend to rely more on confirmation bias, in which they focus on evidence that supports their existing beliefs and ignore evidence that contradicts them (Oswald et al., 2004; Koole & van Leeuwen, 2006). This can lead to difficulty in changing beliefs, even in the face of contradictory evidence.
Conclusion
This review has provided an overview of the concept of dogmatism, with a focus on its theoretical foundations, measurement, and implications for behavior. Dogmatism is characterized by a resistance to changing beliefs, and is associated with a variety of behaviors, including prejudice, conformity, and cognitive processing. Future research should focus on further exploring the implications of dogmatism for behavior, as well as its potential applications in various contexts.
References
Allport, G. W. (1954). The nature of prejudice. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Koole, S. L., & van Leeuwen, E. (2006). The dogmatism inventory: Assessing epistemic motivation in the context of prejudice. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91, 895–912.
Oswald, D. L., & Grosjean, P. (2004). Dogmatism and the rejection of new information. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 30, 1059–1067.
Oswald, D. L., Grosjean, P., & Grosjean, S. (2004). The effects of dogmatism on attitude formation and change. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 30, 1068–1080.
Rokeach, M. (1960). The open and closed mind. New York, NY: Basic Books.