Society/Culture Why do less intelligent people gravitate to conservative/right wing ideology.

[Mofra]

The Daily Mail article reports upon a study by Gordon Hodson, a psychologist at Brock University in Ontario, Canada. (another Canadian Academic Psychologist but without a youtube presence). He looked at data from 2 UK studies testing child development. The subjects were
(a) 4,267 boys and 4,537 girls born in 1958;
(b) 3,412 boys and 3,658 girls born in 1970.

The tests were of
(c) verbal and non verbal intelligence; and
(d) cognitive abilities (number recall, shape-drawing tasks, defining words and identifying patterns and similarities among words).

In both surveys, 23 years later, the same groups were asked to answer a series of questions about traditions, authority and attitudes toward other races. Hodson then postulated a definition of conservatism which is undefined but looks to be based upon attitudes towards Authority and other races and concluded that low-intelligence adults tend to gravitate toward socially conservtive ideologies.

I’d very cautious about accepting the conclusions drawn by Grin and his gaggle of applauders from the article helpfully posted by Mofra

So would I.

Here's a meta-analysis that's far more wide ranging.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/55893129.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiZksKNiq38AhWmwjgGHVyFAdQQFnoECC0QAQ&usg=AOvVaw2xHhvNmp4MW8yHxMsywA_c

There is a significant body of work on the subject. Assuming the entire concept is based off a single study is folly.

 

[rye]

yeah and the younger lefty types: "someone must have kept me down, its the old conservatives, housing market, politics, government and jordan peterson"

do you think it is equally reasonable to blame the housing market and government for societies ills as it is to blame women and minorities

 

[the_interloper]

Just a quick point: being "educated" doesn't mean you study social issues, a PHD in Engineering doesn't mean you have any clue about life generally.

 

[rye]

Just a quick point: being "educated" doesn't mean you study social issues, a PHD in Engineering doesn't mean you have any clue about life generally.

i agree to an extent

i dont think somebody with a PhD in Engineering or other highly educated individuals would necessarily be familiar with social issues and their impacts like indigenous healthcare or the gender wage gap. I would however like to believe somebody in that position would have developed better critical thinking skills and be more able to discern that an andrew bolt article was bullshit for example than the average punter

 

[Chief]

Not bait. I'm genuinely perplexed and curious.
Perhaps the stupid feel insecure about their stupidity. Thus if they can be tricked into believing they've done their own research and independently come up with 'knowledge', which is only coincidentally identical to the latest conspiracy theory being pushed on Fox, that people will think them intelligent and independent thinkers rather than stupid, mindless drones.

It's been mentioned, and I don't know who put me onto it:

Amazon product ASIN 0887551246
Or, only $11 here:

The Authoritarians

No description supplied

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There's a statistically significant group of people with a mental outlook that is afraid of things changing. Very afraid of the unknown. Has a need to control, to hit first.

 

[spinynorman]

Jobs that pay better usually require higher education, hence more intelligence (Engineer vs mechanic, Doctor vs nurse, Lawyer vs paralegal, etc...)

Although granted that's not necessarily true in Australia where a lot of tradies get paid way more than what they would (and should in all honesty) in places like the US and in Western Europe. Low skilled workers have it good in Australia (I'm including tradies in this category) as they wouldn't be earning nearly as much in equivalent developed well off countries.

Education doesn't necessarily equal intelligence though.

The reality is the unequal education system rewards people who are the children of the wealthy and can maintain that privilege down the generations - and then they in turn get better access to networks that the rest are not privy to, and then they support a political system (the capitalist status quo) that protects and entrenches this inequality. We don't have a meritocracy, and it's tone deaf to pretend we do.

I do think it's satisfying for some to dismiss their ideological opponents as idiots, and probably a politically dumb move (don't underestimate those who oppose you - especially when they have been and continue to be successful and structurally dominant, and don't imply those who you want to win over are the stupider for not being on your side yet). That said, I don't really see how anyone can see bigotry, be it racism, sexism, homophobia or what have you, which is far more baked into right wing ideology than left, and not call it idiocy.

 

[Chief]

 

[the_interloper]

i agree to an extent

i dont think somebody with a PhD in Engineering or other highly educated individuals would necessarily be familiar with social issues and their impacts like indigenous healthcare or the gender wage gap. I would however like to believe somebody in that position would have developed better critical thinking skills and be more able to discern that an andrew bolt article was bullshit for example than the average punter

Well just remember that ideologies are way more influential than a degree, I think anyway.

 

[ElectricG]

Chief, mate, have you been up all night educating yourself with YouTube videos?

 

[Chief]

Chief, mate, have you been up all night educating yourself with YouTube videos?

I got sick not long ago and watched it non stop for about 3 weeks.

 

[Evolved1]

Basically, yes.

The older conservative types: “I got mine”.

The younger alt-right types: “someone must have kept me down, and it’s not old conservatives, it’s women or lgbtqi or brown people”

Wow. Do the far left really think that? If so, you guys and girls are equally deluded as alt right conspiracy theorists.

 

[CM86]

Wow. Do the far left really think that? If so, you guys and girls are equally deluded as alt right conspiracy theorists.

If you think that's spicy, you'd burn your tongue on vanilla ice cream.

 

[Evolved1]

Just a quick point: being "educated" doesn't mean you study social issues, a PHD in Engineering doesn't mean you have any clue about life generally.

True, but it works both ways. Being able to point out homophobia or sexism doesn't mean you have any clue about economics or psychology.

 

[Evolved1]

If you think that's spicy, you'd burn your tongue on vanilla ice cream.

The strawman arguments of the left are fascinating rather than spicy.

 

[Chief]

The strawman arguments of the left are fascinating rather than spicy.

Dude, all you're going to do is bait and prod.

Take it outside please.

 

[Chief]

What's the strawman argument? Do you even know?

Let's not do this bickering.

 

[Carringbush2010]

It takes effort to have compassion. It takes effort to feel empathy. It takes effort to be inclusive of those different from you. It takes effort to think about those beyond yourself and your immediate circle. Conservative/Right Wing ideology is all about freedom.

The freedom from thought.

It only takes effort if ones compassion, inclusiveness and empathy is disingenuous.

Conservatism is not necessarily 'right wing ideology'. To 'conserve' something is not necessarily regressive either - your description here is rather simplistic.

Sure some elements of conservatism are all about the 'good ole days' and thus right wingy, however there are many a thing that many an individual - even hard core self proclaimed leftists would like to 'conserve'

I think you need to rethink your post. That may be blunt but your post was simplistic.

 

[Todman]

There's a statistically significant group of people with a mental outlook that is afraid of things changing. Very afraid of the unknown. Has a need to control, to hit first.

There's a statistically significant group of people with a mental outlook that hate the patriarchy because they believe they're victims. Has a need to control, to smash everything that they don't have ownership to.

 

[Todman]

Maybe because intellectuals know they are better than everybody else so therefore have a need to dictate to the masses. They are smarter therefore they know better. Don't question them because its an insult to their intelligence because you are dumb in their eyes.

 

[quotemokc]

Maybe because intellectuals know they are better than everybody else so therefore have a need to dictate to the masses. They are smarter therefore they know better. Don't question them because its an insult to their intelligence because you are dumb in their eyes.

Reminds me of The Simpsons episode when Lisa joins MENSA.

 

[Stokey]

Dumb people make dumb decisions

Stokey for example is providing an explanation: That conspiracies and right wing propaganda is an alternative view, and is not bullshit propaganda aimed at manipulating the gullible. That by listening to it, you might just learn something. For example, that liberal minded politicians are actually all pedophiles running sophisticated child sex slave syndicates via pizza shops.

And you are trying to say we're unintelligent but you think everyone who watches Fox News, and everyone of the 75m who voted for Trump must be a QAnon conspiracy nut. It's really not worth arguing with someone who has such a insanely blinkered view of the world.

 

[Stokey]

Dumb people make dumb decisions

Like make you a mod?

 

[Ghost Patrol]

Like make you a mod?

How to confuse a RWNJ

 

[Stokey]

How to confuse a RWNJ

More proof

 

[Ghost Patrol]

More proof

How’s the weather over there Chappy, are you melting yet?

 

[Stokey]

How’s the weather over there Chappy, are you melting yet?

I'm not acclimated to this weather anymore and AC hasn't been invented yet.