Aspect-Level Personality Characteristics of U.S. Presidential Candidate Supporters in the 2016 and 2020 Elections

Abstract

With two studies ( N=1,257), we examined the aspect-level personality predictors of support for major U.S. presidential candidates in 2016 and 2020. U.S. residents completed measures of aspect-level personality, overall political orientation, and support for each candidate. The profile that predicted support for each candidate diverged from the profile that predicted generic liberalism/conservatism. Moreover, differences emerged between supporters of different candidates within the same party. For example, preference for Clinton was predicted by higher Openness, but lower Intellect, Politeness, and Volatility, whereas preference for Sanders was predicted only by higher Openness and lower Volatility. Preference for Trump was predicted by lower Openness and higher Volatility in 2016, but lower Compassion and higher Industriousness in 2020. Support for Biden was predicted by higher Compassion, Intellect, and Withdrawal. This work provides a more nuanced understanding of how the psychology of generalized political orientation may deviate from the psychology behind support for specific candidates.