SDO

SDO: Social dominance orientation is a personality variable that is measured on the SDO Scale, which measures an individual's attitudes toward social hierarchy. SDO is conceptualised as a measure of individual differences in levels of group-based discrimination and domination. High Social Dominance Orientation is strongly correlated with conservative political views, and opposition to programs and policies that aim to promote equality.

Altemeyer's research suggests that high SDO scorers are personally competitive and are also somewhat Machiavellian (manipulative and amoral). High-SDO individuals tend to gravitate toward hierarchy-enhancing jobs and institutions, such as law enforcement, that are themselves hierarchically structured vis-a-vis individuals within them.

Males tend to have higher SDO scores than females, and are also observed to be more socially hierarchical.

Refs:

Pratto, F., Sidanius, J., Stallworth, L.M., & Malle, B.F. (1994). Social dominance orientation: A personality variable predicting social and political attitudes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67(4), 741-763.

Sibley et al.: "Social Dominance Orientation and Right-Wing Authoritarianism: Additive and Interactive Effects" in Political Psychology, Vol. 27, No. 5, 2006.

Sidanius, Jim and Pratto, Felicia (2001). Social Dominance: An Intergroup Theory of Social Hierarchy and Oppression. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.