Mixing psychology and politics

Democrats and Republicans may have different views on many topics. But new research at NYU indicates that the difference may stem from something deeper than party affiliation.

Last night the New York Academy of Sciences and NYU psychology professors John Jost, David Amodio and Elizabeth Phelps conducted a seminar on how the brain responds to emotional and political stimuli.

Jost opened the lecture with a Ten-Item Personality Inventory quiz. Using psychology for “neuro-politics,” the quiz shows that liberals score higher on openness, curiosity, creativity and fantasy while conservatives score higher on conscientiousness, order, discipline and rule-following. Referencing other studies, Jost projected two contrasting office desks and bedrooms on the screen: one cluttered and colorful, the other organized and lackluster.

“Can you spot the conservative office?” he asked.

Jost explained that liberals’ rooms tend to have more clutter, with a variety of CDs, books and colors, suggesting a tendency toward openness. Conservatives’ rooms tend to have more cleaning supplies and duller décor, suggesting an adherence to rules and order. There is an inherent personality difference between the two ends of the political spectrum, he said.

Jost said his research found political differences have a genetic component. Identical twins have more similar attitudes than fraternal twins, he said.

Jost and Amodio emphasized that while they do not think humans have a political gene, those hereditary statistics show that ideology is not based solely on social and cultural environment.


Katie Polin is a contributing writer. E-mail her at campus@nyunews.com.