Personality variables predict strength-related attitude dimensions across objects

We examined personality predictors of different attitude strength-related dimensions across objects. Participants responded to questions regarding 11 attitude objects that assessed the overall evaluation of the object and the strength-related dimensions of importance, certainty, and relevance. Confirmatory factor analyses supported a 4-factor solution underlying the self-report and extremity dimensions across the 11 attitude objects, with importance and relevance and certainty and extremity loading on 2 second-order factors. The need to evaluate, need for affect, sense of coherence, dogmatism, and personal fear of invalidity were all related at the bivariate level to at least one strength-related dimension. The need to evaluate and the need for affect independently predicted variance in certainty/extremity across the attitude objects and sense of coherence and dogmatism predicted unique variance in importance/relevance across objects. Discussion focuses on the possible processes by which personality variables predict strength-related dimensions across objects.