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Both sides of the ideological divide caricature the other, but those on the far left are the most guilty
This new study featured 2,212 visitors to the projectimplicit.org website, a research portal that focuses on “the gap between intentions and actions.” About half identified themselves as liberals, while 500 placed themselves in one of three conservative categories, and 538 defined themselves as moderates.
They were first asked a series of questions to determine their own moral attitudes. For instance, to measure how strongly they believe in loyalty to one’s group, they were asked the extent to which they agreed with such statements as “It is more important to be a team player than to express oneself.”
They then completed similar surveys, offering not their own feelings, but those of a “typical liberal” or “typical conservative.” The researchers compared their assumptions to the answers provided by actual liberals and conservatives, as well as to a different, nationally representative sample of Americans.
“Extreme liberals exaggerated the moral political differences the most, and moderate conservatives did so the least,” Graham and his colleagues report. “Liberals were the least accurate about conservatives and about liberals.”
Liberals tended to stereotype conservatives as uncaring, rather than realize that conservatives’ genuine concerns about harm and fairness are tempered by other moral values that have less value to the left, such as loyalty and respect for authority.
Distorting the picture further, liberals tend to underestimate the degree to which their fellow liberals take those “conservative” values into account when making moral evaluations. Although conservatives did this to some degree, liberals showed a stronger tendency to stereotype their political soul mates, assuming an exaggerated level of ideological purity.
Claudia
December 27th, 2012
What I have found with my liberal friends is how they can spout their talking points to all within earshot, but if you bring up a question or disagree with them, they are truly shocked.
Most of my liberal friends are in education so they are used to being surrounded by like-minded people. When I ask them to expand on their talking points they sputter and repeat additional talking points. They don’t seem to be able to get into critical thinking since they are not forced to explain themselves amongst themselves.
StrangernFiction
December 27th, 2012
The caricature about Leftists being commies.
It’s true.
persecutor
December 27th, 2012
I wouldn’t put too much credence in the test–it’s way too superficial and flawed to give reliable data. I took it and its analysis of my “responses” did not logically follow from the so-called data I provided.
Xavier
December 27th, 2012
My experience (not stereotyping) has been that most Conservatives celebrate their diversity, and most liberals want to march in lockstep. OWS probably failed because they actually wanted to practice the left’s philosophy of individualism and self-expression without following their rigid code of PC beliefs.
And that closing sentence troubles me;
I want to be polarized from the libtards.
MADJACK
December 27th, 2012
LIBERAL=A person with an antisocial personality disorder, manifested in aggressive, perverted, criminal, or amoral behavior without empathy or remorse. In other words Psychopaths!
Anonymous
December 27th, 2012
WSJ: EPA chief Lisa Jackson is stepping down.
Hope the bitch trips.
norman einstein
December 27th, 2012
The survey is absolutely ridiculous!
What a crock!
Kevin R.
December 27th, 2012
I think what the left professes to believe in are actually just rationalizations for power and control over others. Caricaturing anyone opposed to them in the worst way is part of their rationalizing.
CrustyB
December 27th, 2012
Sounds about right.
Libs believe conservatives hate the poor, the sick and the elderly, as if we’re all rich, healthy and young.
They believe we’re uncaring, even though we consistently give more to charity than they do. Being for voluntary charity instead of the theft and slavery of Socialism makes us “uncaring.”
They believe Reagan wanted to blow up the world with nukes, Bush wanted to make it illegal to disagree with him, Palin hates rape victims, Breitbart wanted to bring back slavery, etc. All ridiculous mythology only a genuine psychotic would believe.
We believe Obama wants to dabble in Marxism and redistribute wealth…tada! We were right!
Poonces
December 27th, 2012
I have found that those who have the least control or knowledge about how to manage their own lives and resources, are the first to tell others how to live.
It’s the progressive mantra.