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Authoritarianism Scale (F-Scale) Test

Understand your attitudes toward authority, hierarchy, and strict social norms in about 6 minutes. Get fast, research-based insight for education or discussion with 28 focused items.
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Questions: 286 minutes
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08:30
October 2, 2025
October 2, 2025
Material has been updated
21250 views
1495 completions
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Scale Explorer
How the Scales are Structured
example score
5/7
Sexual Preoccupation (SP)
This scale measures how strongly a person is preoccupied with sexual topics in their own life and in others'.
Low focus
Moderate focus
High focus
1 – 2: Low focus | 3 – 5: Moderate focus | 6 – 7: High focus
A score of 5 suggests a moderate preoccupation with sexual topics, indicating this area is a noticeable but not dominant focus.
example score
3/7
Projectivity (P)
Projectivity measures the tendency to attribute one’s own unacceptable impulses to others and to interpret people or situations as threatening.
Low
Moderate
High
1 – 2: Low | 3 – 5: Moderate | 6 – 7: High
A score of 3 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting occasional suspicious interpretations of others without a consistently threatening view of the social environment.
example score
3/7
Destructiveness And Cynicism (DAC)
Measures the degree of hostile, cynical attitudes toward others and a tendency toward destructive or mistrustful interpretations of human nature.
Low
Moderate
High
1 – 2: Low | 3 – 5: Moderate | 6 – 7: High
A score of 3 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting some skeptical or negative views of human nature but not a strongly cynical or destructive stance overall.
example score
5/7
Superstition and Stereotypy (SaS)
Measures tendency toward superstitious or mystical beliefs, cognitive rigidity, and reliance on stereotypes.
Low
Moderate
High
1 – 2: Low | 3 – 5: Moderate | 6 – 7: High
A score of 5 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a noticeable but not extreme tendency toward rigid thinking and some reliance on superstitious or stereotyped beliefs.
example score
2/7
Anti-Intraception (A)
Measures the extent to which a person rejects subjective experience, imagination, and individuality in favor of strict rationalism and conformity.
Low
Moderate
High
1 – 3: Low | 4 – 5: Moderate | 6 – 7: High
A score of 2 falls in the Low range, suggesting relatively little tendency to dismiss subjective or imaginative perspectives and less devaluation of individuality.
example score
2/7
Authoritarian Aggression (AA)
Measures the tendency to endorse punitive, hostile responses toward people who violate conventional norms or hold dissenting views.
Low
Moderate
High
1 – 2: Low | 3 – 5: Moderate | 6 – 7: High
A score of 2 falls in the Low range, suggesting relatively little inclination toward punishing or rejecting people with differing opinions.
example score
5/7
Authoritarian Submission (AS)
Measures the tendency to obey authorities uncritically and prefer strong leadership and rigid hierarchy.
Low
Moderate
High
1 – 3: Low | 4 – 5: Moderate | 6 – 7: High
A score of 5 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a noticeable but not extreme inclination toward deferring to authority and favoring clear hierarchical order.
example score
3/7
Conventionalism (C)
Conventionalism measures adherence to traditional social norms and values, reflecting preference for established rules and customs.
Low conventionalism
Moderate conventionalism
High conventionalism
1 – 2: Low conventionalism | 3 – 5: Moderate conventionalism | 6 – 7: High conventionalism
A score of 3 suggests a moderate, situational preference for traditional norms rather than a strongly conservative orientation.
example score
166/196
Overall Index (OI)
This scale measures the overall intensity of authoritarian attitudes, including preference for strict hierarchy, conformity, and suppression of dissent.
Low
High
28 – 154: Low | 155 – 196: High
A score of 166 falls in the High range, indicating a pronounced tendency toward authoritarian attitudes compared with the scale’s lower range.
example score
5/7
Power Complex (PC)
Measures the extent to which a person tends to think in terms of dominance and submission and identify with strong leaders.
Low
Moderate
High
1 – 3: Low | 4 – 5: Moderate | 6 – 7: High
A score of 5 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a noticeable but not extreme tendency toward power-oriented, dominance-focused attitudes and alignment with strong leadership.
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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS
Who Usually Takes This Test?
Politics and society learners
41%OF USERS
People curious about ideology and democracy take it to see how strongly they lean toward strict authority, hierarchy, and conformity.
Psychology students and researchers
34%OF USERS
Students and researchers use it as a historical benchmark to compare classic measures of authoritarian attitudes with modern frameworks.
Self-reflection and values seekers
25%OF USERS
People exploring their own beliefs take it to understand how they react to rules, tradition, dissent, and social norms.
BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.
RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE
What You’ll See After You Finish the Test
Scale Results
— Explained Clearly
Your scores across each test scale, translated into plain, usable insights. Not just numbers, but what they actually mean for your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.
AI-Powered
Interpretation
A structured, clinically grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation — without alarmist language.
Statistical
Comparison
See how you compare to others. Your scores are placed in a statistical context, showing percentiles and trends based on anonymized platform data to help you understand what`s typical.
Practical
Recommendations
Actionable guidance tailored to your profile. Receive clear, realistic suggestions you can apply immediately — focused on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.
AI-Detected
Insights
Key patterns you might not notice on your own. Surfacing subtle connections in your responses that help you better understand what may be driving your current results.
Discuss with
an AI Psychologist
Clarify, reflect, and explore right away. Talk through your outcomes, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue environment.
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Used in 52+ countries
Benchmarking
See How You Compare
Once you finish the test, your results will be compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of the benchmarks we use to place your score in context.
Concern about sex (Cas)
Average
4.1
Normal range
3.2 — 5
min.
1
max.
7
majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.
Projectivity (P)
Average
3.6
Normal range
2.8 — 4.4
min.
1
max.
7
majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.
Destructiveness and Cynicism (DaC)
Average
2.9
Normal range
1.8 — 4
min.
1
max.
7
majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.
Superstition and Stereotypy (SaS)
Average
2.7
Normal range
1.9 — 3.5
min.
1
max.
7
majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.
Anti-introspection (A)
Average
4.8
Normal range
3.7 — 5.9
min.
1
max.
7
majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.
Authoritarian Aggression (AA)
Average
4.1
Normal range
3.4 — 4.9
min.
1
max.
7
majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.
Authoritarian Submission (AS)
Average
4.7
Normal range
3.6 — 5.7
min.
1
max.
7
majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.
Conventionalism (C)
Average
4.4
Normal range
3.3 — 5.5
min.
1
max.
7
majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.
Integral Indicator (II)
Average
134
Normal range
109.9 — 158.2
min.
28
max.
196
majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.
"Power Complex" ("C)
Average
2.5
Normal range
1.5 — 3.6
min.
1
max.
7
majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.
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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions

Any questions left?

What does this questionnaire measure?
It screens for attitudes linked to an authoritarian style of thinking, such as preference for strict hierarchy, conformity, and punitive social control. It is intended as an indicator, not a diagnosis.
How should responses be selected?
Select the option that best matches typical views, not a preferred image. Use the first reasonable choice and avoid overthinking individual items.
How long does it take and how many items are included?
Estimated completion time is about 6 minutes. The questionnaire includes 28 statements.
How should scores be interpreted?
Higher scores generally indicate greater endorsement of authoritarian attitudes as defined by the item set. Results should be interpreted cautiously and in context.
What are the main limitations of this measure?
It is a historical instrument with known concerns about construct clarity and ideological bias. It is often used for educational or research comparison rather than as a current clinical standard.
WHAT THE TEST MEASURES
About This Assessment

Authoritarianism Scale (F-Scale) Test

social attitudes

Developed in the mid-20th century, the Authoritarianism Scale (F-Scale) is a self-report questionnaire designed to assess attitudes and response patterns associated with authoritarian-oriented thinking and preferences for social conformity and hierarchy. It is most commonly used in educational and research contexts to characterize individual differences in ideological and personality-related attitudes (R. Nevitt Sanford; Else Frenkel-Brunswik; Daniel J. Levinson; Theodor W. Adorno). The measure includes 28 items and typically requires about 6 minutes to complete.

Items are presented as statements endorsed to varying degrees, yielding a summary of the respondent’s level of agreement with themes often linked to authoritarian dispositions. The Authoritarianism Scale (F-Scale) has also been discussed in the literature with respect to historical context, conceptual specificity, and potential response-style or content-related limitations; interpretation is therefore generally framed cautiously and in conjunction with other data sources when used for psychological assessment.

Author: Daniel J. Levinson, Else Frenkel-Brunswik, R. Nevitt Sanford, Theodor W. Adorno
Literature: John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, and Laurie A. Rudman (Eds.). On the nature of prejudice: fifty years after Allport. Blackwell. 2005.; T. W. Adorno, E. Frenkel-Brunswik, D. J. Levinson, and R. N. Sanford. The authoritarian personality. Harper. 1950.
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