Does biology explain our political leanings?

[LiberalHeart]

Is this science? In a study, people (strong conservatives, strong liberals) were shown pictures to measure their reactions. Conclusion: conservatives react to threatening images more than liberals do. Further conclusion: our political leanings are a result of biology.

I'd like to see the test done with more images tossed in: bread lines, homeless people, torture, government eavesdropping, and Iraqi children bloodied or dead, etc.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/159540

[BrklynLiberal]

1. I have also seen articles that say the Conservtives need a "strict, punishing father" image

to run their lives for them and tell them exactly what to do and how to do it....while liberals are more likely to be of the "nurturing parents" ilk. They are more independent, self-motivating, empathetic and free thinking. They do not like to be told what to do.
I guess the Conservatives reacting more to fear can be seen as a product of the "Strict father" theory. They respond out of fear, rather than logic or altruistic impulse.
Liberals have a more "nurturing" attitude toward people, and react more out of what is best for the group, rather than only what is best of oneself.

[LiberalHeart]

2. Also, did you notice the kinds of images they reacted to? I didn't see why they were scary.

Which I guess makes sense, my being a liberal and all.

[BrklynLiberal]

3. I think that fear is one of their basic emotions. They are raised with it, and therefore it is

always at the top of their consciousness.
Those of us who do not function thru fear cannot understand what it is they are afraid of.

I also disagree with the conclusion that since liberals do not react with fear, that it is a negative.
So..liberals see spiders and bunnies with the same degree of acceptance. What is wrong with that?

[underseasurveyor]

4. Logically Liberals do not react negatively to 'scary' things

because as free thinking, open-minded beings we have the capacity to solve problems by other means rather than just plain destruction and annihilation of things that are threatening, real or perceived.

I could believe that biology may play a major role but I also think that how a person is brought up has a lot to do with it too. Tho the latter part of what I just said doesn't explain why my older brother is the only republican in my entire family... unless he was adopted or left on the doorstep by aliens.. heh

[onyourleft]

5. My two sisters and I were raised by...

...Republican parents. Our mother was very authoritarian. The three of us have been life-long Democrats, very liberal. I've often wondered how we escaped the Republican environment in which we were raised.

[im1013]

7. My two sisters and I were also raised by

Republican parents. However, both of my sisters are just as nutty as they are...maybe worse!
Somehow, I am apparently the only one completely the opposite.
Maybe the crazy gene ran out, since I am the youngest.

[Unvanguard]

6. Correlation/causation gap.

Maybe, for independent non-biological reasons, conservatives have come to adopt a general worldview that emphasizes threats.

[libertypirate]

8. how much stup shit we're willing to believe, that is why knowledge is power /nt

[silverojo]

9. I think it's connected more to IQ

The lower it is, the more Freeper you become. :rofl: