Those obedient conservatives

[Bob Of Burleson]

Are conservatives more obedient
and agreeable than their
liberal counterparts?

ScienceCodeX.com

Over the last few years, we've seen increasing dissent among liberals and conservatives on important issues such as gun control, health care and same-sex marriage. Both sides often have a difficult time reconciling their own views with their opposition, and many times it appears that liberals are unable to band together under a unifying platform. Why do conservatives appear to have an affinity for obeying leadership? And why do conservatives perceive greater consensus among politically like-minded others? Two studies publishing in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin shed light on these questions.

Historically, conservatives are viewed as being more obedient and more respectful of leadership. Whereas, liberals tend to be associated with protests and blatant acts of rebellion. Previous research has seemed to suggest that the act of obedience is divisive, and that this cultural war among liberals and conservatives may stem from the fact that obedience elicits different emotional responses. Researchers at the University of Winnipeg delved further into this perception of obedience to authority with three studies, and found that liberals and conservatives are more similar than they may appear.

Lead researcher Jeremy Frimer explains that "beneath the surface of some of these ideological debates is a fundamental need to belong to a group that has a strong leader. Both sides feel the need. And both sides believe that people should do as their leader tells them to do. The difference between the groups is not whether they value obedience to authority. Rather, the difference is about which authority they think is worthy of obedience."

In surveying participants, the researchers found that the act of obedience itself elicits similar moral sentiments from both conservatives and liberals; the differences sparked only when participants perceived the authorities to advance a political agenda. Testing the participants perceptions proved trickier than expected, because the researchers found that the concepts of authority and obedience automatically elicit thoughts of a conservative authority. This finding may explain why obedience to authority appears to be a concept conservatives favor over liberals.

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[GFB]

Bob, you really dredged up a new low for yourself here.

Since liberals see everything through the prism of politics..the fact that Conservatives agree so much MUST be that they are more "obedient" to their political leaders.

..couldn't be because they know they are right..and people that are sure of themselves don't need leaders to tell them what is right.

..and couldn't be because liberal people are flakey, confused, spinning through their lives with no sense of grounding..or that people could or should ever be that sure of themselves.

[Red Oak]

The over whelming majority of Convicted Criminals self identify as "Leftists" - I wonder why ?

[planosteve]

The over whelming majority of Convicted Criminals self identify as "Leftists" - I wonder why ?

Because the right wing criminals are too clever to get caught.

[Red Oak]

Doubtful.

[planosteve]

Doubtful.

Oh yeah?

[Red Oak]

[Bob Of Burleson]

It's interesting to note that the article didn't contain a single sentence that was derogatory to conservatives. Everyone must be responding to my scintillating title.

[BigTex]

3 = everyone

[GFB]

It's interesting to note that the article didn't contain a single sentence that was derogatory to conservatives. Everyone must be responding to my scintillating title.

The whole article is insulting.

..simply because it shows how out of touch ansd clueless he/she is..like most of the media.

[Mark]

So who is the conservative leader that all conservatives are obedient to?

On the right, I see all kinds of infighting over issues. On the Left, I see nothing but obedience to the Marxist leader Obama.

[jellowrestling]

It's interesting to note that the article didn't contain a single sentence that was derogatory to conservatives. Everyone must be responding to my scintillating title.

The whole article is insulting.

..simply because it shows how out of touch and clueless he/she is..like most of the media.

+1 Liberals have few "core" values. They wake up every morning and check with moveon.org to find out what they are to believe today. Yesterday it was about healthcare, today it's gay "marriage", tomorrow it will be something else, and value-less liberals will lap it up and parrot the liberal talking points.

Conservatives' beliefs change much, much more slowly. If a "leader" tries to get conservatives to go off in some weird direction: good luck with that. Conservative leaders lead by stepping in front of the parade and walking in the designated direction. Attempting to lead the parade down a side alley are likely to fail. Rush Limbaugh isn't successful because he convinces listeners of anything; he's successful because he puts into words what they already believe.

[jellowrestling]

So who is the conservative leader that all conservatives are obedient to?

On the right, I see all kinds of infighting over issues. On the Left, I see nothing but obedience to the Marxist leader Obama.

Exactly. Conservative fight over beliefs. Liberals tend to be incredibly ignorant, and follow their leaders like sheep.