Genetic Essentialism Among Supporters of Populist Radical-Right Parties: Evidence From Sweden and Norway

Abstract In recent years, at least 3 extreme-right terrorists have justified their mass murders and racist ideology by citing behavioral genetic studies or concepts. Some of their manifestos promoted an essentialist view of biology, with genes portrayed as being racially clustered and reliable predictors of social abilities and behavior. This research note examines a critical question that remains unaddressed: do conventional supporters of populist radical right parties also endorse genetic essentialism? A brief literature review presents key concepts, theoretical explanations, and hypotheses. The empirical section tests the genetic essentialism hypothesis in 2 Nordic countries: Sweden, among supporters of the Sweden Democrats (SD), and Norway, among supporters of the Progress Party (FrP). While both studies confirm key expectations, the results show more substantial effects in Sweden, where an exponential function best represents the relation between genetic essentialism and support for the SD. This finding raises concerns for minority rights, as research indicates that genetic essentialists tend to support eugenic policies. This paper concludes by discussing how researchers in behavioral genetics can help prevent or invalidate misuses of their work.