Having always considered
myself a staunch liberal born into an equally liberal family, I found myself second-guessing my preconceived notions as I voted in the 2008 election. Am I voting in a way that opposes my so-called views, I wondered? And is that really such a bad thing?
The questions I asked myself led to more questions, until I narrowed down to the topic of today’s column. What makes us vote the way we do and does personality have anything to do with our decisions? The answer I found is that our personalities unequivocally shape how we vote.
Recent studies in Newsweek, The Economist and Slate Magazine indicate that your personality actually greatly affects your politics. John Mayer, a psychology professor at the University of New Hampshire, said voters vote not only based on their opinions of a particular candidate but also on how they view the world they live in. People’s perceptions, Mayer said, are formed by their general personalities and thus, personality does affect politics.
Sam Gosling, a psychology professor at the University of Texas, said in his unpublished paper “The Secret Lives of Liberals and Conservatives” that the “stuff” in a person’s office or bedroom often reflects his or her political views.
Finally, Jon Jost, a psychologist at New York University, put together an experiment that measured liberal and
conservative reactions to questions revolving around today’s issues and their responses to images that incited fear. The results of all these studies were astounding, though
arguably stereotypical.
Taken together, these studies show that different personalities tend to have certain political leanings.
The conservative personality is said to value tradition, religion and close-knit communities. Conservatives are likely to be more conscientious than liberals, and are more likely to value clear guidelines and rules. Studies show this mindset makes conservatives happier overall than liberals. They believe that if they play by the rules, they’ll make their way to the top. Conservative offices and bedrooms are more likely to be neat and very organized, a place to hole up and be safe. Interestingly enough, Jost’s study also shows that conservatives react more harshly to images that instill fear, such as spiders. These heavy reactions to fear often connect to support of the war in Iraq and other
anti-terrorist organizations.
The liberal personality is said to value equality over hierarchy, tends to tolerate ambiguity and also has a fascination with new experiences. Jost’s study found liberals score higher than conservatives in how open they are to new ideas. Liberals tend to be unhappier than conservatives because they don’t hold the same upbeat mindset as conservatives. They tend to overanalyze everything going on around them, including the woes of the economy and other forces put in place to “keep the little guy down.” Liberal offices and bedrooms are more likely to be cluttered, a place to map out new adventures rather than the safe haven conservatives often create for themselves.
Jost elaborated when explaining his study. He said that while all humans wish to feel secure and safe, people desire varying degrees of stability. Thus, conservative and liberal mindsets are actually psychological.
But what about people who consider themselves to be more moderate? Perhaps these people stereotypically embody characteristics on either side. Are liberals more likely than conceived conservatives to become moderate because they tend to be more open?
In the process of researching, I found I embody both liberal and conservative traits. While I do consider myself to be open and able to listen to a variety of political viewpoints, I also live in a pretty neat room, a place I tend to observe as a haven from the world. While I do crave stability and happiness, I often find myself over-analyzing political issues that are out of my hands.
Do your personality traits go hand-in-hand with your political characteristics? Think about it, and send in any questions, comments or thoughts you might have regarding this or any other topic.
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