Title: Fear and Anxiety Drive Conservatives' Political Attitudes | Psychology Today
Headings: Fear and Anxiety Drive Conservatives' Political Attitudes
Bobby Azarian Ph.D.
Fear and Anxiety Drive Conservatives' Political Attitudes
Can brain differences explain conservatives' fear-driven political stances?

Content: This is what psychologists call a “negativity bias.” If you think about it, this makes sense. When attention is biased toward the negative, the result is an overly threat-conscious appraisal of one’s surroundings. To many conservatives, the world may look like a much scarier place. This would seem to explain why so many major conservative viewpoints tend to be rooted in fear—fear of the president, immigrants, vaccinations, etc. 2. Conservatives have a stronger physiological response to threats. A 2008 study published in the journal Science found that conservatives have a stronger physiological response to startling noises and graphic images. This adds to a growing body of research that indicates a hypersensitivity to threat—a hallmark of anxiety. But why exactly would those who scare more easily tend to support conservative views?