Posted on 05/24/2007 1:19:18 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
Psychologist Thinks Political Preference Is Half Genetic
Thursday , May 24, 2007 By Melinda Wenner
Whether you prefer Rush Limbaugh or Keith Olbermann has to do with your genes and your psychology, according to a new study.
People who are more conscientious and prefer order, structure and closure in their lives tend to be more conservative, whereas creative people who are open to new experiences tend to be more politically liberal, says John Jost, a psychologist at New York University who conducted an overview of previous studies involving a total of more than 22,000 participants from 12 countries.
But that psychological profile only pulls half the weight when it comes to determining people's politics, his review showed.
• Click here to visit FOXNews.com's Human Body Center.
The other half is genetic, as is revealed in studies of twins and their political bent, Jost says.
Politics in America
A number of sociologists have argued that political ideology died in America after World War II, because both the left and the right wings were heavily discredited at the time.
Jost says the latest research shows the opposite— that politics in America today are very much alive.
His previous research has suggested, for example, that more than 90 percent of college students can identify where their political beliefs fit on a scale running from the "left" (liberal) to the "right" (conservative), and that their affiliations strongly influence how they vote in elections.
Americans also appear to enjoy being involved in politics.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
This part might be interesting. Separated twins, which might be only a small sample, would be the test group.
This study will not replace Natalee in Greta’s heart as a subject for protracted discussion.
You make an excellent point! How many people change their political stripes (some more than once) before they give up the ghost? More junk science as far as I’m concerned.
Inclined to agree that political positions are largely genetically determined. But some restrictions and clarifications seem needed here. Young people (teen-agers and early 20’s) are, almost always, liberal, trusting and believing in the premise that people are always good and, left to their instincts, will always do good. For most folks, though, time and life experiences curtail that boundless optimism and teach some of the hard lessons that we are never eager to learn. Disorder and, even, chaos are atmospheres inwhich young people feel free to become what they dream of being. Of course, they are mistaken, but time and life experiences will be their only teachers in that. So, for the young at heart and in years, we can smile and even appreciate that remarkable optimism. But for the over 40 who still holds to his teen-age mind-set, who has failed to learn the lessons that life offers to all of us, who pushes onward wearing his profane T-shirt and his now-greying pony-tail, we can only conclude that he is a case of arrested development, a striver who cannot break out of his dreams and a bunptious and ill-mannered anachronism at his age — in other words, a liberal. :)
Correctly and honestly viewed, there is much more "creativity" required in an open, free market economy and political structure, than in any form of totalitarian structure. And yet, the free market is the conservative position.
Congressman Billybob
Let’s see, my hobbies are writing plays and playing the piano. I guess I could count as creative.
My entire family is liberal. Therefore, according to my creativity and genetics, I clearly am a...
Okay, I was a liberal. But then I started reading Thomas Sowell. Don’t know what gene accounted for that. Now I’m a conservative because conservatism is supported by the facts.
I agree 100%! Secondly, any man that is a liberal is mentally castrated...wait a sec...can you be castrated and nuts at the same time?
Hogwash!
My guess is it has more to do with birth order. Conservatives are the grownups, the ones who are responsible. They tend to be the older kids.
The younger ones are the babies, and tend to be more “me” oriented and expect others to take care of their mistakes. They are the libs.
That’s at least the way it worked out in my family. I won’t say the youngest is spoiled, because she’s a hard worker, but she did have it easier in many ways and she is also the lib.
Stupid comes in all forms! It is a proven that people can be indoctrinated. It really is not genetic.
This dooms them to become leftards (as they have become known on many websites).
They are elementally stupid, but it's not their fault, still that shouldn't be used as an excuse to not incarcerate them when necessary.
Well... we know that liberalism is a mental disorder ... but we still haven't determined whether or not that disorder is genetic.
“leftards”
I like that. Thats one to remember.
Are you suggesting that non-grads are somehow more informed?
So Liberalism is a birth defect?
Person leading the workshop: "Feel the energy in your genitalia. Feel it rooting into the ground. Now step in, turn left, and massage the back of the person in front of you. You can ask the person behind you to massage your buttocks."
Man standing in front of me: "Can you massage my buttocks?"
Me: (laughing)"No."
Man: "Why not?"
Me: (politely) "I'm kind of new to this."
Man: (with air of superiority and aggitation) "So am I. But I like to try new things."
Me: "I like to try new things, too. But massaging your buttocks isn't one of those things."
I think you can get a bit of the core difference between liberal and conservative from this true story. Personally, I don't get the appeal of sitting in a room like that and being told what to do, and that anyone should expect me to rub their buttocks. I feel a little sorry for the liberals that get sucked into this. They do things that are so disrespectful to themselves, and call it being open-minded.
Good grief. Where do they get these guys?
Keith Who?
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