Liberal vs conservative psychology

[Blind groper]

Let me start by saying I am no expert here, and I want to see what others think. The following is all taken from an article in New Scientist magazine, which I subscribe to. It is the 3 November paper issue, page 41, titled "Political Instincts". This article is obviously timed to the recent presidential election.

The article says that the two political mind sets, liberal and conservative, are not a simple case of learning and mental programming. They are based on something more innate. To be liberal or conservative in thinking is a part of brain structure and function, and is mostly genetic. Identical twin studies show amazing similarities in political thinking, even if the twins are reared by different families. The differences are not, according to the article, the result of someone's opinion, but the result of a lot of careful scientific research.

Liberals can be identified by the things they leave around them, at work or at home. They are messy, and have more objects related to open mindedness, like travel books, art books, music collections.
Conservatives are neater, and have objects related to order, like calendars, diaries, stamps etc.

Liberals are more open minded, creative, curious, open to novelty.
Conservatives are more orderly, conventional and better organised.

Conservatives prefer the status quo and are more likely to associate with fellow whites, straights, and high status people.
Liberals are more comfortable with people from ethnic, social and sexual minorities.

Conservatives are offended by in-group betrayals, disrespect for authority and tradition, and signs of sexual or spiritual 'impurity'.
Liberals are more offended by suffering and inequality.

Conservatives have a need for facts that are clear cut.
Liberals are more happy with the thought process itself, and mental challenges.

Conservatives are more concerned about the world being a dangerous place, and show stronger emotional aversion to unpleasant stimuli.

Scientists have found actual brain differences (though with lots of overlap between groups).
Liberals have more grey matter in the anterior cingulate cortex. (cognitive control and self-regulation)
Conservatives have more grey matter in the right amygdala. (threat response and intense emotions)

Of course, these are over simplified, and these are just averages. But it seems as though there are genuine differences.

I have no personal agenda here. I just find it interesting, and would like to hear what others think.

[Ian]

There are a few interesting studies out there. Citations and quotes would be good for this thread.

I'm too lazy at the moment.

[Animavore]

[Blind groper]

Thanks for posting that video, Animavore. Good speaker, and interesting points. He seems to agree with the New Scientist article.

[Animavore]

I'm sure you may find he is the source of that New Scientist article.

[Gerald McGrew]

It's pretty easy to find articles that tell you what you want to hear.

Liberals and atheists tend to be more intelligent: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 132655.htm

Conservatives tend towards the "dark triad" of personality traits: http://scienceprogressaction.org/inters ... ty-traits/

Fox News viewers (conservatives) most misinformed: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/2 ... 06305.html

And on and on....

However, while those tendencies may indeed be real, there's not really too many hard conclusions you can draw from them (except for maybe that Fox News is a propaganda machine). Earlier this year, I read an article about a study by Jonathan Haidt into what conservatives and liberals value.

http://www.ethicsdefined.org/the-proble ... -liberals/

Liberals’ value – Harm/Care high, then Fairness/Reciprocity, then a big drop to Authority/Respect and In-group/Loyalty, then least Purity/Sanctity. Conservatives’ value – Harm/Care lower than liberals but place it at the top of their lists as well. Authority is a close second followed closely by In-group/Loyalty, and Purity/Sancitity, with Fairness/Reciprocity at the bottom.

To me, those results were far more informative than the other things I'd read. It explains the "bleeding heart liberal" meme and Occupy Wall St.'s focus on fairness. It also explains why liberals don't always vote in unison and are less religious. For conservatives, it explains why they seem so much more loyal to party lines (explains the old line, "Democrats vote their conscience, Republicans vote together"), hold their leaders in such high regard, are so trusting of conservative sources of information, and are more religious.

Both have their strengths and weaknesses, depending on the circumstances. For example, I'd much rather have an army of conservatives, but a hospital run by liberals.

[Animavore]

Oh hell no. I'd much rather liberals in the army if I'm to be on the receiving end than tribalistic, xenophobic and religiously zealous conservatives who are more likely to treat me and other civilians as a non-human and care little for killing innocents.

[Tero]

Can I be liberal and Taurus?
Patient and reliable
Warmhearted and loving
Persistent and determined
Placid and security loving

Jealous and possessive
Resentful and inflexible
Self-indulgent and greedy

[Seabass]

Meh, I'm not buyin' it. Seems very similar to the sort of shit racists say to demonize groups they don't like.

[Audley Strange]

Meh, I'm not buyin' it. Seems very similar to the sort of shit racists say to demonize groups they don't like.

[Blind groper]

Perhaps.

According to New Scientist, it is the result of honest and impartial research. You may distrust this statement, of course, but I do not think a reputable science news journal would deliberately lie about something like that. Too easy to be found out. They are not stupid.

[JimC]

There are many of those characteristics that fit me as a conservative, let alone my preference for cardigans and gin...

However, many (but not all) aspects of a liberal ideology simply make more sense to my rational side...

[Animavore]

Meh, I'm not buyin' it. Seems very similar to the sort of shit racists say to demonize groups they don't like.

Jonothan Haidt's results come from answers given on his website.
Which I can't link to here because my college blocks access to blogs. I'm not sure where the demonisation is supposed to come in. Haidt's results have been welcomed by many conservatives and it's liberals who seem to have more of a problem with it.

[Audley Strange]

Meh, I'm not buyin' it. Seems very similar to the sort of shit racists say to demonize groups they don't like.

Jonothan Haidt's results come from answers given on his website.
Which I can't link to here because my college blocks access to blogs. I'm not sure where the demonisation is supposed to come in. Haidt's results have been welcomed by many conservatives and it's liberals who seem to have more of a problem with it.

I'm aware of the study. He might have well as said Left wingers have Oral complexes and Republicans Anal complexes. Its so reductive as to be meaningless. Besides those of a "progressive" mindset are those who try to change the status quo and those of a conservative ones tend to wish to preserve it. When the left wing tries to preserve things like public roads and health, it is conservative, neophobic. While those who wish to try something new, may be right wing but progressives and vice versa, etc and other dead languages.

[Tero]

“Have you ever wondered why Republicans are so interested in encouraging people to volunteer in their communities? It’s because volunteers work for no pay. Republicans have been trying to get people to work for no pay for a long time. ”
― George Carlin

“Republicans stand for raw, unbridled evil and greed and ignorance smothered in balloons and ribbons.”
― Frank Zappa

“Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a Republican. But I repeat myself.”
― Harry S. Truman

“Bob Dole revealed he is one of the test subjects for Viagra. He said on Larry King, 'I wish I had bought stock in it.' Only a Republican would think the best part of Viagra is the fact that you could make money off of it.”
― Jay Leno