National Threat Perception, Dominance-Submissive Authoritarian Syndrome and Totalitarian Socialist Ideology
Zlatko Šram, Jasminka Dulic

Abstract
A structural model for prediction a totalitarian socialist ideology on a sample of Croatian population was developed and evaluated by using full information maximum likelihood estimates obtained from LISREL 8.52 computer programs. We have assumed that both national threat perception and dominance-submissive authoritarian syndrome would affect a totalitarian socialist ideology. The data reported here were obtained by standard survey methods on a sample of adult population (N=553) who were all of Croatian ethnicity. Totalitarian socialist ideology was defined by the latent variables labeled political totalitarianism, state economic interventionism, and egalitarianism and working-class ruling. National threat perception was defined by the latent variables labeled national siege mentality, European Union threat perception, and support for immigrant persecution. Dominance-submissive authoritarian syndrome was defined by the variables labeled authoritarian aggression, authoritarian submission, and dominance orientation. A second-order confirmatory factor analysis yielded the latent construct of totalitarian socialist ideology, national threat perception, and dominancesubmissive authoritarian syndrome with acceptable fit indices. A structural model tested on the examined sample indicated that national threat perception and dominance–submissive authoritarian syndrome were significant predictors of a totalitarian socialist ideology, where national threat perception indicated a much stronger effect than dominance-submissive authoritarian syndrome. Goodness-of-fit indices suggested acceptable fit (RMSEA=0.06, NFI=0.97, CFI=0.98, SRMR=0.03, AGFI=0.94). The concept of threat perception, avoidance of uncertainty, and authoritarian personality were used in interpreting the findings and its political implications.

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