gonna need this just to read the comments, let alone participate.

"...conservatives are more responsive to negative stimuli whereas those on the left are more responsive to positive stimuli."

As much as I dislike the "soft" sciences, this makes a lot of sense to me.

ginandbacon: "...conservatives are more responsive to negative stimuli whereas those on the left are more responsive to positive stimuli."

As much as I dislike the "soft" sciences, this makes a lot of sense to me.

this explains fox news and the republican party's fear-based approach.

"...conservatives are more responsive to negative stimuli whereas those on the left are more responsive to positive stimuli."

This is what happens when you've only get two parties to choose from.

Optimists tend to be liberal, while pessimists tend to be conservative. Makes sense to me.

Political psychology is fun!

F-scale personality test for authoritarianism was developed in 1947. We've known for some time that conservatives tend to have authoritarian personalities.

/not a psychologist
//just massively right-brained

"Sex differences are also highlighted by these measures, with females (or males with higher than average levels of empathy) more likely than average males to overcome their feelings of disgust or threat..."

This research may have implications for Farkers dating.

Interesting here:

"The research team hypothesised that if pictures of famous politicians (Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Hilary Clinton and George W Bush) were shown to their subjects, those who were politically right-of-centre would exhibit a greater aversive reaction to ideologically dissimilar politicians, whereas those who were left-of-centre would exhibit a greater appetitive response (in relative terms) when viewing left-of-centre politicians. This was indeed the case."

They seem to be saying lefties like lefties, and righties hate lefties. Did they by chance check to see how lefties felt about Reagan and W? Or how righties felt about them?

From the Fark sample, which is admittedly left leaning, I'm betting there is still a strong aversive reaction from lefties to W.

Link to published study. Interesting stuff, should answer your question, ICW.

/not subby
//thanks, subby

SuperTramp: Link to published study. Interesting stuff, should answer your question, ICW.

/not subby
//thanks, subby

Reading it now. My guess is they studied both, but in an article, the writer makes the points they want not having the room to re-write the study.

I_C_Weener: SuperTramp: Link to published study. Interesting stuff, should answer your question, ICW.

/not subby
//thanks, subby

Reading it now. My guess is they studied both, but in an article, the writer makes the points they want not having the room to re-write the study.

And already to this point which saddens me:

"Images of well-known American political figures were included in the 33 stimuli presented; specifically, pictures of Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton and George W. Bush. These four seem appropriate since at the time of the study (summer of 2007), Barack Obama, John McCain and Sarah Palin had not yet arrived on the national political scene and pre-tests indicated that many participants could not identify pictures of other important national politicians, including (then Vice President) Richard Cheney, (then Speaker of the House) Nancy Pelosi and the previous two Democratic presidential nominees: John Kerry and Al Gore."

SuperTramp: Link to published study. Interesting stuff, should answer your question, ICW.

/not subby
//thanks, subby

I think I am reading this correct that they indeed did focus on how conservatives feel about liberals, and how liberals feel about liberals.

"To test the hypothesis that left-of-centre participants respond more to ideologically similar (appetitive) politicians while right-of-centre participants respond more to ideologically dissimilar (aversive) politicians, a definition of ideological similarity is necessary."

The study also makes a strange leap that the differences mean that liberals/conservative perceive the other as empathetic/fearful...when in fact, the study shows that it isn't perception...it is backed up by SCIENCE!

Interesting study that has some merit, but appears to be sloppily written and the connection to biology seems a stretch as well. But most social studies have trouble making them scientifically defensible when so much depends on opinion.

mark12A: Liberals are more emotional than rational.

Conservatives are more rational than emotional.

wrong.

mark12A: And gun control: Liberals fear out of control gunners randomly shooting up the place (which happens rarely), which is primarily an emotional response, vs. conservatives that are purely practical (being armed deters aggression against you, as it actually works in nature)

bwahahahahahaa


you're an idiot.


IrateShadow: mark12A: Liberals are more emotional than rational.

Conservatives are more rational than emotional.

That may have been true at one time (doubt it), but it's clearly not the case anymore. Conservatives these days are all about hate, whether it be for gays, libs, media, Muslims (well, anyone not the right type of Christian, really), etc.

there's why


plus.. go RTFA.

Saiga410: In the latest study they tested whether right-wing participants experienced relatively increased skin conductance (they sweated more, a measure of psychological or physiological arousal) when viewing aversive images (an open wound, a toilet with faeces on it, someone held at gunpoint or a car accident). They also tested whether left wingers experienced increased relative skin conductance when exposed to appetitive images (a bunny rabbit, puppy, a sunset).

I would hate to participate in this study. Hey there conservative guy, let me show you some pictures. They strap me down in a chair, use little spring clips to open my eyes. Play some Ludwig van in the background.

Shoot the liberal gets bunny rabbits but I get this?

That was my reaction too. The actual study paper doesn't quite clear that up either. And the hypothesis reinforces the thought that they were looking for a type of reaction in conservative and a different one in liberals instead of testing them both across the board (Clockwork Orange AND bunny rabbits.)

Then again if the bunny rabbit is gay, you just know the conservative is going to be aversive.

It also explains the liberal "OMG hypocrisy!!!" while the conservatives do the "Both sides are bad, so vote for the rational hypocrite."

pxsteel: sprawl15: catusr: Optimists tend to be liberal, while pessimists tend to be conservative. Makes sense to me.

Realists tend to be Fark Independents.

I am not an independent by choice. I have been pushed to the middle because the wingnut right and moonbat left have such farked up rules and ideologies.

Example, I am

Pro Choice
Pro death penalty

So you are indecisive. Or are you?