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: One social psychologist from the University of Central Arkansas, Paul Nail, has a pretty interesting answer: “ Conservatism, apparently, helps to protect people against some of the natural difficulties of living. The fact is we don’t live in a completely safe world. Things can and do go wrong. But if I can impose this order on it by my worldview, I can keep my anxiety to a manageable level.” This could explain the two parties’ different stances on gun control. It makes sense that those who startle more easily are also the ones that believe they need to own a gun. 3. Conservatives fear new experiences. A 2008 study cataloged items found in the bedrooms of college students and saw that while liberals owned more books and travel-related items, conservatives had more things that kept order in their lives, like calendars and cleaning supplies.