The Daily Banter

Low-Effort Thinking Leads to Conservatism

My Tuesday post for The Daily Banter is up. Read and RT often.

There’s a new study out this week indicating that “low effort” thinking contributes to conservatism. In other words, kneejerk reactions to issue-oriented questions are more often conservative, while thoughtful deliberation is more liberal.

In a press release about the study, University of Arkansas psychologist Dr. Scott Eidelman said, “People endorse conservative ideology more when they have to give a first or fast response.” According to The Huffington Post, part of the study involved quizzing various bar patrons about political topics, and, predictably, the higher the blood alcohol, the more conservative the response to the topic. In other words, impaired and uninhibited snap reactions were conservative. Less impaired and more restrained reactions were liberal.

Read the rest here...