Conservatives, liberals, & brain science

[Alan]

I read the first half of the Faces study. It's pretty solid research, and done at Tufts. I find it very compelling, and there is no value judgement expressed that I could discern. I do think the title of his book is a bit inflammatory.

Perceptions of photographs with Powerful = Republican & Warm/Caring = Democrat? I think they could have had similar results with a coin toss.

But then, I didn't go to Tufts.

[Alan]

INTJ. I'm used to being an outlier.

ETA: Hey, Alan--it's like we're connected!
(Shamelessly riffing off the Allstate commercial that probably none of you have seen.)

"No we're not." ... "Yes we are."

[catherine]

On the other end of things, I'm known very few NF types (INFP, ENFP, etc) who've been very far right of center.

Yes, I'm INFP--and definitely lean to the left.

Very interesting article, alan!

[CathyA]

For a long time I've been aware of what seemed to be consistent differences between democrats and republicans in their thinking and living. It seems to be a grouping of characteristics on both sides.
As I've mentioned before, I saw a PBS show on 2 different lines of monkeys.....one was patriarchal, aggressive and the other was matriarchal, gentle. Perhaps there are 2 different evolutionary lines at work??

[iris lily]

Perceptions of photographs with Powerful = Republican & Warm/Caring = Democrat? I think they could have had similar results with a coin toss.

But then, I didn't go to Tufts.

I'm glad you stepped in, I just couldn't bring myself to spend my precious time reviewing a facial recognition study that identified Republicans as the bad guys. Really, that is lame.

Washington University spent many years carrying out studies about parapsychology and other eerie-weerie stuff proving what exactly, I don't know. Wash U is more prestigious than Tufts, I would say. Perhaps that means that Wash U's fluff studies are more--fluffy? Or less fluffy? Let's "study" that and I will guarantee that if I give a big enough grant award to some academic department, they will design and carry out the research.

[Gregg]

..I will guarantee that if I give a big enough grant award to some academic department, they will design and carry out the research.

I'll do ya' one better Iris. If you give a big enough grant to some academic department, they will design and carry out the research required to produce EXACTLY the results you hoped for.

But you gotta' give big!

[puglogic]

Sadly, this is the case in so many studies (from all spots on the political spectrum). One of the first things I turn to in any study is who funded it. I have a lovely study that "proves" that global warming will be simply wonderful for the planet....making it lush and green and happy people everywhere! I am buying a new bathing suit and just can't wait!

[redfox]

I read nothing in the Tufts study that called or described R's as bad! Iris Lily, what did you see?

[puglogic]

There isn't anything. There was the concept that participants perceived Democrats as "warm/friendly" and Republicans as "powerful," and they fully explain why that's the case in this particular study (below). If someone takes offense at being called "powerful" by a bunch of college students, well, have at it. I could take equal offense at being called "warm & friendly." Really? I'm not powerful too? How dare you! Growl snap snap.

"Moreover, the studies were conducted in the northeastern U.S. where stereotypes about the personalities related to particular political affiliations may be different from those in other areas of the country. For instance, the northeastern U.S. is typically characterized by Democrat political leadership and support for liberal legislative perspectives [26]. The finding that outgroup Republicans are seen as powerful (i.e., dominant and facially mature) and ingroup Democrats are seen as warm (i.e., likeable and trustworthy) could be confounded by the perceivers' expectations, beliefs, and desires for Democrat and Republican personalities. Although the perceivers in Study 3 did not know that they were rating targets who differed systematically on political group membership, further testing of these effects with a larger percentage of Republican perceivers would be useful for better ascertaining the nature of these effects."

[Gregg]

Although the perceivers in Study 3 did not know that they were rating targets who differed systematically on political group membership, further testing of these effects with a larger percentage of Republican perceivers would be useful for better ascertaining the nature of these effects."[/I]

If they can find any in the northeast...