Now that I have your attention, allow me to alert you to an interesting op-ed from Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times. In the piece, which was published last week, Kristof discusses a newly-published book, The Righteous Mind, written by psychology professor Jonathan Haidt. The book offers some fascinating insights into the very real differences between the psychology of liberalism and that of conservatism, and refers to some rather surprising research findings:
Some research suggests that conservatives are particularly attuned to threats, with a greater startle reflex when they hear loud noises. Conservatives also secrete more skin moisture when they see disgusting images, such as a person eating worms. Liberals feel disgust, too, but a bit less.
Anything that prods us to think of disgust or cleanliness also seems to have at least a temporary effect on our politics. It pushes our sanctity buttons and makes us more conservative.
A University of Toronto study found that if people were asked to wash their hands with soap and water before filling out a questionnaire, they become more moralistic about issues like drug use and pornography. Researchers found that interviewees on Stanford’s campus offered harsher, more moralistic views after “fart spray” had been released in the area.
At Cornell University, students answered questions in more conservative ways when they were simply near a hand sanitizer station.
The smell of flatulence can make a person more conservative, at least temporarily. Who knew? I don’t know about you, but I wish the converse would also be true. Just think: a couple bottles of Febreeze could turn the Values Voter Summit into a Pride parade!
I suspect that we will find out in the future that überconservatives are largely hardwired that way from either genetic or prenatal influences, analogous to the hardwiring gay and lesbian people likely experience as well. Personality is fascinating!
I think you’re right Paul. If I’m not mistaken, research has shown that a certain percentage of people are born with ‘authoritarian’ personalities and will, of course, be much more conservative. A culture, however, can ameliorate or exacerbate this. The extremely patriarchal and authoritarian nature of Germany before WWII certainly laid the groundwork for the rise of nazism. My sister and her husband are both fox watching wingnuts, whereas my brother and I are both about as liberal as you can be. We were all raised the same way, by the same parents. Go figure. I guess the handwriting was on the wall when we were teens and she loved and bought that rather fatuous record ‘The Green Beret.’ My brother and I thought she was nuts, since most ‘normal’ young people at that time were against the Viet Nam war. I always laughed at the part where he sings, “put silver wings on my son’s chest…”, thinking, what if ‘your son’ turns out to be a big ol’ drag queen–silver wings would be a fabulous accessory. ;)
I work in a library and just looked up one of the reviews for this book. It sounds really interesting. Here’s the review:
Booklist Reviews 2012 March #2
*Starred Review* What would we think of a family that responded to the accidental death of their pet dog by cooking and eating it? By assessing diverse responses to questions such as this one, Haidt illuminates the often bewildering mysteries of human morality. Evidence from anthropology and evolutionary psychology reveals that most moral reasoning amounts to merely post hoc rationalizations of emotional intuitions. Readers learn how these intuitions develop into profoundly different moral orientations defined by divergent attitudes toward six foundational values: care, fairness, loyalty, authority, sanctity, and liberty. Laying these six values out in liberal, conservative, and libertarian matrices, Haidt examines the dynamics of political conflicts and the blinding zealotry of the ideological combatants. Modern research suggests that such zealotry reflects our species’ genetically primed inclination to hive-like group loyalty. And though the New Atheists see only evil and oppression in religious reinforcements to such loyalty, Haidt interprets the emergence of religion as essential to human moral formation. But then atheists and believers, liberals and conservatives will all find some of their cherished tenets in jeopardy in these pages. And will all find reason to heed Haidt’s concluding plea for a renewed civility born of human connections that transcend ideological disagreements. A much-needed voice of moral sanity. Copyright 2012 Booklist Reviews.
No matter what science has proven, I am still of the opinion that conservatives are “that way” because of some trauma in their childhood and a failure to bond with their same-sex parent. In the end, of course, it is still a choice and they just have to make up their mind to choose to be like the rest of us so we will feel better.
I am sure there was a TWO article relatively recently that outlined a survey which found that social conservatives are, on average, less intelligent than their liberal counterparts.
Makes a lot of sense to me, so I am choosing this theory and will remain loyal to this ideological viewpoint at the expense of all others!!
Plus, it is so much fun to equate conservatism with stupidity! :D
Oh my…what will the tinfoil hat squad over at WND say?
So where would one get this fart spray if such a thing existed?
See also Chris Mooney’s new book, The Republican Brain. I reviewed it at the Washington Spectator (contents not free for non-subscribers, but bottom line is is that it’s an excellent book on this very topic and well worth reading).
http://www.washingtonspectator.org/index.php/Book-Review/a-glimpse-into-their-gray-matter.html
Sounds similar to the Voight-Kampff test in Blade Runner used to discern the humans from the skin jobs. What I want to know is which came first, the fascistic neo-conservatism or the flatulence?
Careful here, guys:
http://www.gocomics.com/doonesbury/2012/03/18
“……a couple bottles of Febreeze could turn the Values Voter Summit into a Pride parade!”
Dare to dream John ;)
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