ABSTRACT
There may appear to be a paradox implicit in the general factor theory of social attitudes outlined in previous chapters. The finding that both ethnic intolerance and expressed commitment to fundamentalist-type religion load positively on the general conservatism factor might be interpreted as meaning that these two areas are themselves positively correlated. This would seem paradoxical considering that the Christian ethic supposedly emphasizes charity and brotherly love. As noted in Chapter 1, however, it is quite possible for religion and racialism to be totally independent or even negatively correlated to a slight extent, yet both be measures of conservatism in that they load the same way on the general factor.
