Despite the polarized nature of politics today, it appears that we all have the same underlying goals and behaviors: The pursuit of happiness, the American dream etc. This is, at the very least, the way psychologists had viewed political ideology for quite some time. However, new research may have identified the characteristics that lead us to lean ideologically to the left or right.
New York University psychologist John Jost will present his research at the Association for Psychological Science’s 19th annual convention in Washington, DC, May 24-27th.
Jost states that current political realities, data from the American National Election Studies, and recent psychological findings provide strong grounds for revisiting the topic of ideology after years of neglect. He suggests that numerous situational and dispositional variables affect the degree to which people are drawn to conservative versus progressive leaders, parties, and opinions.
For more information on the APS 19th Annual Convention and to browse the interactive program, please visit: http://www.psychologicalscience.org/convention.
Members of the media receive a complimentary registration. To register, e-mail your contact information, including your name, name of your organization, address, phone and e-mail to media@psychologicalscience.org.