Liberals Less Skittish than Conservatives, Study Claims

A study by scientists at University of Nebraska claims that conservatives are more easily startled than liberals, reported National Geographic News.  The results, partly funded by the National Science Foundation and published in Science,¹ referenced a 2006 paper from Evolution and Human Behavior that had claimed “feelings of disgust and fear of disease have been suggested to be related to political attitudes.”
    The findings were disputed by other scientists quoted in the NG article, who thought the results could be interpreted various ways.  The reactions could have been due to different causes, they said, than the researchers assumed.  See also Science Daily’s summary that was published Sept 22.

1.  Oxley et al, “Political Attitudes Vary with Physiological Traits,” Science, 19 September 2008: Vol. 321. no. 5896, pp. 1667-1670, DOI: 10.1126/science.1157627.

Makes perfect sense.  Conservatives are more likely to be alert, sober, clothed and in their right minds.  That’s why the liberal participants were cool and loose with scientists wasting their tax money on dumb projects.