Are older people more likely to be politically conservative and why? J.Campbell suggest that the difference between age groups on being politically conservative is small. But F.Glamsers article concludes: 


  there was a significant positive correlation between age and conservative opinions even when social class, education, father's SES, and the size of the respondent's childhood community were controlled.


While these articles are quite old (1981 &amp; 1974) a more recent poll indicates that old people tend to be more conservative.

 

I'm wondering whether there is an neurological and psychological explanation of that phenomena.
As a neuroscientist, I would be highly doubtful of any neuroscientific 'evidence' about this phenomenon (if it exists). In fact, I think there is no reason to look further than the mere exposure effect:


  The mere-exposure effect is a psychological phenomenon by which people tend to develop a preference for things merely because they are familiar with them.


Conservative attitudes are by definition more traditional, i.e. those who have been around for a longer time... just like older people. Older people have, therefore, had more chance to become familiar to conservative attitudes through exposure.