The aim of this study is investigation of the attitudes towards peace in relation with attitudes towards war, social dominance orientation and gender. Participants were 74 university students (42 women). Age range is 18-24. Attitudes Towards Peace and War Inventory (Bizumic et al., 2013) and Social Dominance Orientation Scale (Sidanius, Levin & Pratto, 1996) were used. Results revealed that, attitudes towards peace, has negative relationship with attitudes towards war and social dominance orientation. Analysis also revealed that social dominance orientation has positive correlation with attitudes towards war. According to stepwise regression analysis attitudes towards war explain the %31 of the variance of attitudes towards peace. Social dominance orientation and attitudes towards war together explain %35.6 of the variance of attitudes towards peace. Analysis revealed no statistically significant gender based or economic status based differences in terms of attitudes towards peace, attitudes towards war and social dominance orientation. Results pointed out that rise of social dominance orientation and attitudes favoring war are related with reduction in attitudes towards peace. Findings revealed that in order to construct really sustainable peace it is important to work for positive changes in terms of social dominance orientation and attitudes towards war. To be able to hope existence of sustainable peace in world’s future, development of education campaigns to prevent enormous increase of social dominance orientations seems vitally important.

Key Words: Social dominance orientation, Structural violence, Direct violence, Discrimination, Attitudes towards peace, Attitudes towards war.