‘Low-Effort Thought’ Promotes Political Conservatism, Study Says

"A new study suggests that people’s first response tends to be one that reflects a more politically conservative view. Published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, it notes that conservatism is tied to “low-effort thought.”


The study suggests “that political conservatism may be a process consequence of low-effort thought; when effortful, deliberate thought is disengaged, endorsement of conservative ideology increases.” In a statement released by the University of Arkansas, psychologist Dr. Scott Eidelman said, “People endorse conservative ideology more when they have to give a first or fast response.”


In an email to The Huffington Post, Eidelman clarified that this conclusion does not imply that conservatives are intellectually lazy. “Our research shows that low-effort thought promotes political conservatism, not that political conservatives use low-effort thinking,” he said.

From The Huffington Post:

For the study, a team of psychologists led by Dr. Eidelman asked people about their political viewpoints in a bar and in a laboratory setting.

Bar patrons were asked about social issues before blowing into a Breathalyzer. As it turned out, the political viewpoints of patrons with high blood alcohol levels were more likely to be conservative than were those of patrons whose blood alcohol levels were low.

Alcohol isn’t solely to blame: “Keeping people from thinking too much…or just asking them to deliberate or consider information in a cursory manner can impact people’s political attitudes, and in a way that consistently promotes political conservatism,” Eidelman said in the email."

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More:

The study suggested that political conservatism "may be a process consequence of low-effort thought. When effortful, deliberate thought is disengaged, endorsement of conservative ideology increases.”

And this:

"The University of Arkansas released a study which is sure to rile the Conservatives up into a furor. The study examined Conservative ideology, thinking processes, and intelligence scores.

The connection between the three showed lazy thinking and low IQ scores translated into believing Conservative ideology. The study was very clear in stating that Conservatives do not necessarily have a lower IQ or conduct lazy thinking, only that lower IQ and lazy thinking processes lead people towards Conservative beliefs.

There is a difference between people choosing something based on IQ or thinking compared to people presenting the ideas as being lazy thinkers or having low IQ scores.

Let me state the studies main theme again, in a clearer manner for the readers. Conservative politics are not the product of lazy thinking or low IQ scores. Conservative politicians are not lower IQ’d individuals or lazier thinkers. Conservative voters are not less intelligent or less complex thinkers. The ideology put forth by Conservatives is easier to process, bringing lower intelligence voters and lazy thinkers into the fold."

And this:

"Remember that the rough conclusion of the experiments was that slow/simple people are more likely to be conservatively minded because it's easier to say "I like things this way because my Father/God/Teacher likes things this way" than to actually consider all the implications of any given political subject like left wing thinkers might think of."