Chauvinism: characteristics and causes of this psychological phenomenon

It is normal to feel pride for the country where we originate from, and for the things that are found in it; beaches, soccer teams, customs, political systems, etc. But sometimes this patriotism becomes extreme, leading to an inability to see things for what they really are.

Chauvinism can be understood as an exaggerated form of boasting of the native country, which comes from the hand of rejection by other nations. Therefore, it is related to xenophobia. In this article we are going to see in detail what this psychological and sociological phenomenon is about, and we will review some of its main characteristics.

• Related article: "The 16 types of discrimination (and their causes)"

What is chauvinism?

As we have already seen, chauvinism is understood as the idea that some people have that their country or nation is somehow superior to other nations, and they are able to defend this idea above any logical argument that is raised. The term chauvinism is coined due to the surname of a French soldier named Nicolás Chauvin; this character is said to have been faithful to Napoleon Bonaparte and his native France in such a way that everyone was inspired by his blind devotion to his country.

chauvinism is a pattern of behavior associated with extreme nationalism, which generates in people a cognitive bias that makes it impossible for them to understand abstract aspects, such as the nuances and cultural diversities of each country, etc. Chauvinistic people only stay focused on seeing things as they want them to be.

In general, this type of behavior and attitudes can be seen by public figures in the political sphere, as a form of promotion and a campaign strategy or the ideology of their party. Phrases like “our country is the most beautiful in the world”, “we have the best citizens in the world”, “we are a model country for the rest of the world” They may seem innocent, and in many cases they are not used with the intention of creating confrontation, but taken to their ultimate consequences, they express chauvinism.

These and other ideological expressions are typical of a chauvinist discourse, since they are loaded with the idea that some characteristic or thing coming from the country of origin is superior to that of others countries. These irrational ideas cause discord and generate enmity between people of different nationalities.

Characteristics of chauvinistic thought

The following list contains some of the most typical characteristics and actions of people who demonstrate chauvinism through their beliefs and attitudes.

1. tunnel thinking

The main characteristic of chauvinistic people is that they have a narrow and rigid thinking style, and they are not able to see other perspectives. They seek to demonstrate that their nation is the best, regardless of the opinions and arguments of third parties, based on normally based on prejudices and without questioning the latter or becoming aware that one thinks based on they.

2. emotional attachment

In this case the emotional attachment is towards the nation and everything related to it; people, sports teams, national companies, etc. This attachment means that the subject cannot and does not want to get rid of the idea that everything that corresponds to his country is of better quality than what comes from other parts of the world.

• You may be interested in: "Are we rational or emotional beings?"

3. Defense of the territorial

People have difficulties leaving their extreme national territory, they feel a high level of anguish at the prospect of living elsewhere, even for a while. They are not able to visualize themselves leading a full life in territories other than their home country.

4. They blindly defend the countryman

Chauvinistic subjects have no problem apologizing for anyone who shares the same nationality than them, regardless of whether the other person is correct or not, or whether she is a good person or not in front of foreigners the only thing that matters is that they share the same nationality.

5. Absence of logical reasoning

These people do not base their country's defense on reasonable or logical arguments. Regardless of whether the place they come from is in poor political, economic, or of any kind, these facts would not affect the opinion of those who irrationally defend their country, because it is an essentialist defense, directed to a reality beyond the material.

6. nostalgia for the past

Nostalgia for moments lived in the past intensifies chauvinistic behavior and thinking. The subject clings to his nation for sentimental reasons rather than logic., and this generates a distortion of thought. It seeks to repeat the same experiences over and over again, without changing the environment too much.

In addition, this vision of the past is characterized by historical revisionism: misrepresenting the concepts and systems of ideas from previous centuries to fit into one's own ideology (which only exists in the present). And it is an idealized and interested vision of the past: normally, there is a fixation with the times of maximum territorial expansion of what is considered to be the nation itself.

7. Tribal ideas prevail

Tribal instincts are those referring to belonging to a tribe or closed group collective. The subject has the need to be part of a certain group of people, who must comply with the requirement to be of the same nationality, and in some cases to belong to a specific region within the nation and exhibit certain ethnolinguistic or religious characteristics.

8. Territorial instincts prevail

Territorial instincts refer to the need of people to stay in a certain territorial space, due to irrational beliefs of safety or subjective benefits. People will eagerly defend the place they don't want to leave, no matter what their actual situation is.

Thus, in chauvinism, borders are defended for the simple fact of delimiting the limits of the group with which one identifies, considering everything that is beyond oneself hostile or potentially hostile. this.

Causes of this social drift

The main cause why a person can have this pattern of thought and behavior is based on a false reasoning that responds more than anything else to an ethnocentric fallacy (analysis from reality itself).

Low self-esteem and the perception of being a victim can also motivate chauvinism, considering that these people look for a way to take refuge in the face of low self-esteem. If the defects in the functioning of society itself have their roots in the influence of other nations, the imperfections of the group with which we identify can be excused. At least, before our eyes.

The subjects who affirm without hesitation that they could give their lives for their nation have generally suffered from affective deprivation during the development of their identity, which predisposes them to attribute the protective role to the diffuse concept of nation.

On the other hand, the blind defense of the nation is useful for them to feel part of a stable social group that offers protection and stability. Thus, they shift all their feelings of emptiness and resentment towards a "just cause" that can be achieved collectively.

Bibliographic references;

• Canavan, M. (1996). Nationhood and Political Theory. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
• Isaac, B.H. (2006). The Invention of Racism in Classical Antiquity. Princeton University Press.
• Mansbridge, J.; Katherine F. (2005). Male Chauvinist, Feminist, Sexist, and Sexual Harassment: Different Trajectories in Feminist Linguistic Innovation. American Speech. 80(3): p. 261.
• Nairn, T.; James, P. (2005). Global Matrix: Nationalism, Globalism and State-Terrorism. London and New York: Pluto Press.
• Jack, B. (2012). Nationalism and the Moral Psychology of Community. University of Chicago Press.