How does this statement help to explain why so many non-slaveholding Southerners supported secession?

Many non-slaveholding Southerners supported secession due to a strong sense of regional identity and loyalty to the South, which they viewed as being under threat from Northern policies and cultural influences. Additionally, the prevailing belief in states' rights and the economic reliance on a slave-based economy fostered a perception that their way of life was at risk. This solidarity, combined with the hope of preserving their social order and economic interests, motivated these individuals to back the secessionist movement despite not owning slaves themselves.