Is there a liberal and conservative gene?

[cope1989]

I have always sensed a deep disconnect between liberals and conservatives on this forum. Not just on the issues, but on how things are interpreted. A liberal and a conservative on this forum can look at a political "fact" and consume the information in completely different ways.

Take the issue of gay marriage.

A liberal will look at it as purely a civil rights issue. We are Americans, all Americans deserve equal rights. So legalizing gay marriage is a no brainer.

A conservative looks at the same issue and sees legalizing it as unraveling the traditional moral fabric of our country, and thus making our nation weaker. It may not even be based on homophobia, they just see it as an issue that will change, divide, and weaken our nation.

Well, I did some research and there might be some truth to this theory.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/culture/is-there-a-%E2%80%98liberal-gene%E2%80%99/

It might even be manifested in our body language

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101209074403.htm

This is crazy. In the above article, researchers found that liberals follow "gaze cues" more frequently that do conservatives- that is following someone's gaze when they are having a conversation. If someone talks to a conservative and looks away, they are actually more likely to maintain eye contact with the person. They say it's due to conservatives' natural desire for personal autonomy that prompts them not to follow someone's gaze.

So, does this theory make sense?

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

In the above article, researchers found that liberals follow "gaze cues" more frequently that do conservatives- that is following someone's gaze when they are having a conversation. If someone talks to a conservative and looks away, they are actually more likely to maintain eye contact with the person.

Interesting + related: The controversial recent study about social class and behavior found that uppers are less likely to follow someone's gaze.

Anyway, most of this sounds pretty facile, but there's plenty of empirical research that suggests that our underlying moral intuitions play a huge role in shaping our politics.

This TED talk might be of interest to you.

[Sibboleth]

No. Next question!

[crypto-fascist superhero]

Not in the conventional sense; just look at persons of Scottish descent in Scotland and in Northern Ireland (or Appalachia).  Of course, that *might* be consistent with a "collectivism gene," which perhaps makes more sense.

[Sibboleth]

Of course, that *might* be consistent with a "collectivism gene," which perhaps makes more sense.

No.

[Progressive Realist]

Environment and experience shape political views more than anything, IMO. Also, I seriously doubt there's any single gene that directly influences political views.

[Californian Tony]

Al's posts perfectly sum up my thought on the issue.

[Redalgo]

I do not know either way. My current impression, however, is a small number of our views on morality are rooted in our genes, serving as useful adaptations for the survival of the species. From there, our life experiences and environs largely shape the development of a much more complicated, vast network of convictions atop of the original foundations and each of us end up using a lot of rationalizations to feel convinced certain acts are "right" and others "wrong" even though morality itself is a subjective matter. Some arrangements of those moral perspectives in certain strengths of relative emphasis just happen to be more compatible with the adoption of political perspectives and arguments that are more "conservative" than "liberal," or vice versa. The political labels used to classify us and theories fabricated in support of ones views vary from country to country and individual to individual but the underlying genetic influences are constant.

That is not to say genes decide which ideology one will endorse, party they will like, folks they will vote for, or political positions they will align with - merely that human beings are not born with an entirely "blank slate" in regards to how they will grow up to distinguish between right and wrong. The genetic factor becomes one of a dizzying number of influences exerted on the individual as they try to make sense of and cope with their environs all throughout their lives. I am not interested in trying to convince people to agree with me and am not going to search for a bunch of links to post or get into any heated arguments about it here though - I'm just expressing the idea in case anyone is interested in considering a different opinion.

[Vote UKIP!]

No. Next question!

[shua]

Genes influence temperament, and people are often attracted to the politics of people with similar temperaments.  How these temperaments map onto political perspectives are culturally specific, constantly changing, and non-deterministic.

Why was this thread moved to "off-topic" rather than "individual politics"?

[memphis]

Obviously not going to be one specific gene that varies in a binary pattern. I do believe that a lot of personality is innate though.