A recent study found that anti-democratic tendencies in the US are not evenly distributed across the political spectrum. According to the research, conservatives exhibit stronger anti-democratic attitudes than liberals.
A recent study found that anti-democratic tendencies in the US are not evenly distributed across the political spectrum. According to the research, conservatives exhibit stronger anti-democratic attitudes than liberals.
I’ve linked to the news release in the post above. In this comment, for those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:
Liberal-conservative asymmetries in anti-democratic tendencies are partly explained by psychological differences in a nationally representative U.S. sample
A recent study published in Communications Psychology has found that anti-democratic tendencies in the United States are not evenly distributed across the political spectrum. According to the research, conservatives exhibit stronger anti-democratic attitudes than liberals, and this difference can be partially explained by psychological traits, specifically right-wing authoritarianism and social dominance orientation.
The findings revealed significant differences between conservatives and liberals in their support for democratic principles. Conservatives, compared to liberals, were less supportive of political equality and legal rights and guarantees. In other words, conservatives were less likely to agree with statements such as “Everyone should be allowed to vote” and “The law should treat everyone the same, regardless of wealth or power.”
Conservatives were also more likely to endorse actions that defy democratic norms, such as voting for candidates who reject the legitimacy of elections and being more willing to justify political violence. In particular, they were more likely to agree with statements such as “The true American way of life is disappearing so fast that we may have to use force to save it” and “I support the use of violence to ensure my party’s candidate wins the 2024 presidential election” compared to liberals.
phasepistol on
Kinda makes all that bipartisanship seem like a mistake doesn’t it. How do you find compromise with them that’s trying to destroy you
Zelda_is_Dead on
I mean, anyone paying attention the last 10 or so years could have written this study. They aren’t trying to hide it anymore, they want a dictatorship.
Tu4dFurges0n on
Yea we knew that already
Eire_ninja_warrior on
Isn’t it right wingers typically rail against ‘big government’, whereas left wingers rail against ‘corporate greed’?
SmackEh on
Conservatives generally love “freedom,” but only individual freedoms (their freedoms) and not the freedom of all citizens.
Fascism is a far right authoritarian ideology, that’s not a coincidence.
varnell_hill on
> If conservatives become convinced they cannot win democratically, they will not abandon conservatism. They will reject democracy.
-David Frum
AphelionNomad on
Thank you for this stunning insight.
sundogmooinpuppy on
For the first time in my life I am scared in the USA. So disgusted with so many of my fellow Americans,
ttnorac on
I have to disagree 100%. This is an absurd claim. Only one party is running on a platform of limiting free speech.
I also read the study quoted in the article. It is based on surveys. Just like 90% of the posts in r/science these days, but that is a whole other issue. It seems to have a lot of leading and loaded questions.
The abstract even begins with a statement mentioning the danger of Donald Trump. Just reeks of bias.
I signed up for this sub to read articles about the hard sciences, not politicized surveys posing as scientific studies. Just sad.
ConferencePurple3871 on
Not a day goes by that I don’t see a ‘study’ in ‘science’ on this website showing conclusively why everyone agrees with you is amazing and anyone who doesn’t is a stupid fascist.
This website really is mostly a bunch of annoying whinging babies
Shockmaindave on
This was a study? Meanwhile my Windmill Cancer Research Foundation can’t even get a grant.
JellyRev on
“Specifically, the researchers were interested in three key psychological factors: right-wing authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, and political system justification.
Right-wing authoritarianism refers to a combination of three attitudes: authoritarian submission (a tendency to submit to authorities seen as legitimate), authoritarian aggression (a tendency to be aggressive on behalf of those authorities), and conventionalism (a high degree of adherence to traditional social norms). Social dominance orientation measures the extent to which individuals endorse social hierarchies and inequality, while political system justification assesses the extent to which individuals support the current political system and view it as legitimate and fair”
Yea, totally not fishing for an outcome
Sandpaper_Pants on
Democracy is liberal by nature.
eecity on
Learned this one about 235 years ago
JupiterandMars1 on
I mean… the political side more inclined to believe in hierarchies is clearly going to be less inclined to believe in majority rule, right?
This isn’t exactly surprising.
sorped on
Re-he-he-he-hr-healllyy?
MrTrashMouths on
I recently did a study and was able to deduce that Hooters hires women with large breasts. I would like my grant money now
MagnificentTffy on
democracy is so communist. in America, we have FREEDOM! (eagle chirp)
AscendingPeony on
Very science. This one is going straight to the top.
CharmedConflict on
Our study also found that cheeseburgers had a higher incidence of containing cheese than hamburgers.
Bradaigh on
A recent study found that molecules of H2O clumped together as a liquid are “wet”.
hybridaaroncarroll on
>The survey … included a nationally representative sample of 1,557 adults in the United States. The respondents were selected based on various demographic factors, such as age, race, ethnicity, education, and gender, to ensure the sample reflected the broader U.S. population.
Nice to see a well-rounded study that isn’t the usual “120 college students were polled…”
reddurkel on
Republican patriots are trying to avoid us turning into communists so they are electing a dictator.
myislanduniverse on
It’s literally part of the platform now.
badgersruse on
Democracy wouldn’t be such an issue if only people would vote CORRECTLY.
drag0nun1corn on
Well, nazis were against that as well. And considering the actions of conservatives, it’d no surprise. Oh also they don’t understand the whole republic thing.
27 Comments
I’ve linked to the news release in the post above. In this comment, for those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:
Liberal-conservative asymmetries in anti-democratic tendencies are partly explained by psychological differences in a nationally representative U.S. sample
https://www.nature.com/articles/s44271-024-00096-3
From the linked article:
A recent study published in Communications Psychology has found that anti-democratic tendencies in the United States are not evenly distributed across the political spectrum. According to the research, conservatives exhibit stronger anti-democratic attitudes than liberals, and this difference can be partially explained by psychological traits, specifically right-wing authoritarianism and social dominance orientation.
The findings revealed significant differences between conservatives and liberals in their support for democratic principles. Conservatives, compared to liberals, were less supportive of political equality and legal rights and guarantees. In other words, conservatives were less likely to agree with statements such as “Everyone should be allowed to vote” and “The law should treat everyone the same, regardless of wealth or power.”
Conservatives were also more likely to endorse actions that defy democratic norms, such as voting for candidates who reject the legitimacy of elections and being more willing to justify political violence. In particular, they were more likely to agree with statements such as “The true American way of life is disappearing so fast that we may have to use force to save it” and “I support the use of violence to ensure my party’s candidate wins the 2024 presidential election” compared to liberals.
Kinda makes all that bipartisanship seem like a mistake doesn’t it. How do you find compromise with them that’s trying to destroy you
I mean, anyone paying attention the last 10 or so years could have written this study. They aren’t trying to hide it anymore, they want a dictatorship.
Yea we knew that already
Isn’t it right wingers typically rail against ‘big government’, whereas left wingers rail against ‘corporate greed’?
Conservatives generally love “freedom,” but only individual freedoms (their freedoms) and not the freedom of all citizens.
Fascism is a far right authoritarian ideology, that’s not a coincidence.
> If conservatives become convinced they cannot win democratically, they will not abandon conservatism. They will reject democracy.
-David Frum
Thank you for this stunning insight.
For the first time in my life I am scared in the USA. So disgusted with so many of my fellow Americans,
I have to disagree 100%. This is an absurd claim. Only one party is running on a platform of limiting free speech.
I also read the study quoted in the article. It is based on surveys. Just like 90% of the posts in r/science these days, but that is a whole other issue. It seems to have a lot of leading and loaded questions.
The abstract even begins with a statement mentioning the danger of Donald Trump. Just reeks of bias.
I signed up for this sub to read articles about the hard sciences, not politicized surveys posing as scientific studies. Just sad.
Not a day goes by that I don’t see a ‘study’ in ‘science’ on this website showing conclusively why everyone agrees with you is amazing and anyone who doesn’t is a stupid fascist.
This website really is mostly a bunch of annoying whinging babies
This was a study? Meanwhile my Windmill Cancer Research Foundation can’t even get a grant.
“Specifically, the researchers were interested in three key psychological factors: right-wing authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, and political system justification.
Right-wing authoritarianism refers to a combination of three attitudes: authoritarian submission (a tendency to submit to authorities seen as legitimate), authoritarian aggression (a tendency to be aggressive on behalf of those authorities), and conventionalism (a high degree of adherence to traditional social norms). Social dominance orientation measures the extent to which individuals endorse social hierarchies and inequality, while political system justification assesses the extent to which individuals support the current political system and view it as legitimate and fair”
Yea, totally not fishing for an outcome
Democracy is liberal by nature.
Learned this one about 235 years ago
I mean… the political side more inclined to believe in hierarchies is clearly going to be less inclined to believe in majority rule, right?
This isn’t exactly surprising.
Re-he-he-he-hr-healllyy?
I recently did a study and was able to deduce that Hooters hires women with large breasts. I would like my grant money now
democracy is so communist. in America, we have FREEDOM! (eagle chirp)
Very science. This one is going straight to the top.
Our study also found that cheeseburgers had a higher incidence of containing cheese than hamburgers.
A recent study found that molecules of H2O clumped together as a liquid are “wet”.
>The survey … included a nationally representative sample of 1,557 adults in the United States. The respondents were selected based on various demographic factors, such as age, race, ethnicity, education, and gender, to ensure the sample reflected the broader U.S. population.
Nice to see a well-rounded study that isn’t the usual “120 college students were polled…”
Republican patriots are trying to avoid us turning into communists so they are electing a dictator.
It’s literally part of the platform now.
Democracy wouldn’t be such an issue if only people would vote CORRECTLY.
Well, nazis were against that as well. And considering the actions of conservatives, it’d no surprise. Oh also they don’t understand the whole republic thing.