A Quick Link - Politics and Physiology

The title links to an interesting article from last week on a recent study that "hints that the roots of political judgments may lie partly in fundamental personality types and even in the hard-wiring of our brains." The research found that people who demonstrate heightened alertness to threats and danger are more likely to be conservatives (who may be "more aggressive in arming [themselves] and more wary of foreigners"). In the study, conservatives demonstrated stronger reactions to images meant to trigger disgust than did liberals. Though the research has not been confirmed (the information quoted above might just be a way to reinforce stereotypes about conservatives and liberals?), other researchers have also attributed differences in political identification to fundamental differences in cognition. Whether or not you buy that argument, the link is an amusing read.