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Individual differences in political ideology are effects of adaptive error management

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 June 2014

Michael Bang Petersen  and
Lene Aarøe
Michael Bang Petersen
Affiliation:
Department of Political Science and Government, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. [email protected]://pure.au.dk/portal/en/persons/michael-bang-petersen(7998cc16-75d5-4065-8b6e-395d73e22151)[email protected]://pure.au.dk/portal/en/persons/id(d3f852cb-fd5d-46d7-b58d-0a6813a0db3c).html
Lene Aarøe
Affiliation:
Department of Political Science and Government, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. [email protected]://pure.au.dk/portal/en/persons/michael-bang-petersen(7998cc16-75d5-4065-8b6e-395d73e22151)[email protected]://pure.au.dk/portal/en/persons/id(d3f852cb-fd5d-46d7-b58d-0a6813a0db3c).html
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Abstract

We apply error management theory to the analysis of individual differences in the negativity bias and political ideology. Using principles from evolutionary psychology, we propose a coherent theoretical framework for understanding (1) why individuals differ in their political ideology and (2) the conditions under which these individual differences influence and fail to influence the political choices people make.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 37 , Issue 3 , June 2014 , pp. 324 - 325
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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