Two political phenotypes

source -- John Alford - Rice University

basic cleavage with personality characteristics; most people on a continuum. Like introversion/extroversion

Liklihood of change very small -- innate to the person. Who they are.

At least partially heritable. Don't make value judgments!

Absolutist ( conservative/Republican?)

strong suspicion of out-groups
yearning for in-group unity
favors strong leadership
desires clear and unbending moral and behaviour rules
Prefers swift and severe punishments for code violations
Fond of systemization
willing to tolerate inequality between groups
Have a pessimistic view of human nature
Difficult to accept a friendship with a contexualist
View contexualists as naive and indecisive
Ethics -- deontological
Extreme -- religious fundamentalist

Contexualist (Liberal/Democratic?)

Tolerant attitudes toward out-groups
Prefers context dependent approach to human behaviour
Have an optimistic view of human nature
Have a distaste for preset punishments
Willing to overlook group differences of opinion
suspicious of certainty
suspicious of strong leadership
Have an aversion to inequality
Have a great empathic tendency
Usually can accept a friendship with an absolutist
View absolutists as simplistic and selfish
Ethics -- situational (pragmatic or virtue)
Extreme -- secular humanist


JWB's Home page

2745 visitors since 6/1/2008