The Molecule of More

(Jacob Rumans) #1
POLITICS

Next they used an eye-tracking device to determine how much time
volunteers spent looking at a collage of pictures—positive and negative
ones displayed at the same time. Both groups, liberal and conserva-
tive, spent more time looking at the negative pictures. This result is
consistent with the universal phenomenon of loss aversion. However,
the  conservatives spent much more time gazing at  the  fear-provoking 
images, while the liberals divided their attention more evenly. Evidence
of loss aversion was present in both groups, but it was more pronounced
among conservatives.


WE HAVE WAYS OF MAKING YOU CONSERVATIVE

The relationship between conservatism and threat goes in both direc-
tions. Conservatives are more likely than liberals to focus on threat. At
the same time, when people of either inclination feel threatened, they
become more conservative. It’s well known that terrorist attacks boost the
popularity of conservative candidates. But even small threats—threats
so small we’re not even consciously aware of them—nudge people to
the right.
To test the relationship between subtle threat and conservative ide-
ology, researchers approached students on a college campus and asked
them to  fill  out  a  survey regarding their political beliefs. Half the  par-
ticipants were  seated in  an  area next to  a  hand sanitizer, a  reminder 
of the  risk  of infection; the  other half were taken to  a  different area. 
Those who sat  near the  hand sanitizer reported higher levels of moral, 
social, and  fiscal conservatism. The  same result occurred when a  sepa-
rate group of students was asked to use a germ-killing hand wipe before
sitting down at a computer to answer the survey questions. It’s worth
noting that  elections are  held during flu  season, and  touch-screen vot-
ing machines spread germs. As a result, it’s not uncommon to see hand
sanitizer dispensers available for voters’ use at polling places.
Professor Glenn D.  Wilson, a  psychologist who  studies the  influence 
of evolution on human behavior, joked that during election season,

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