Do Individual Differences Predict Attitudes Towards Recreational Cannabis Legalisation and are these Relationships Mediated by Political Ideology?
Date
2018
Authors
Kane, Drewe
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Abstract
We investigate the psychological predictors of support or opposition to recreational cannabis legalisation (RCL), of which little is known. However, support for RCL co-varies with liberalism while opposition co-varies with conservatism. Furthermore, Openness of the Five Factor Model (FFM) of personality and cognitive ability are known to predict liberalism, while Conscientiousness predicts conservatism. We hypothesise that cognitive ability and personality will predict attitudes towards RCL and this relationship will be mediated by Political Ideology. Using an online survey, we measured personality, cognitive ability, Political Ideology, and presented participants with social and economic consequences of prohibition and legalisation models before asking them to endorse their preference. Undertaking mediation analysis, we find that Political Ideology mediates the relationship between Openness, cognitive ability, Agreeableness, and endorsement of RCL. Although Conscientiousness was associated with a lower probability of endorsing RCL, this relationship was not mediated by Political Ideology. Nearly three quarters of participants endorsed RCL, while Past Use of cannabis was the second strongest predictor of endorsement of RCL after liberal Political Ideology. Political Ideology partially accounts for the relationship between individual differences and endorsement of RCL. We speculate that widespread use of cannabis, the further normalisation of use through RCL in other countries, and the wider recognition of the social and economic benefits could lead to RCL becoming a bigger issue in Australia.
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School of Psychology
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Thesis (B.PsychSc(Hons)) -- University of Adelaide, School of Psychology, 2018
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