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Is it impolite to discuss cognitive differences between liberals and conservatives?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 June 2014

Gordon Hodson
Gordon Hodson*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada. [email protected]://brocku.ca/psychology/people/hodson.htm
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Abstract

Hibbing and colleagues argue convincingly that liberals and conservatives differ in reactivity to (negative) stimuli. Yet their analysis sidesteps evidence that cognitive ability differs as a function of ideology. Cognitive abilities, like cognitive preferences (e.g., structure needs), shape whether stimuli are psychologically threatening (prompting avoidance) or offer opportunity (prompting approach). Incorporation of these findings is critical despite any socially “delicate” implications.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 37 , Issue 3 , June 2014 , pp. 313 - 314
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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