In recent years, there has been growing research into the roots of
political ideologies, and they seem to go deep. Adults who consider
themselves liberals were said decades earlier by their nursery-school
teachers to be curious, verbal novelty seekers but not very neat or
obedient.
Some research suggests that conservatives are particularly attuned to threats, with a greater startle reflex
when they hear loud noises. Conservatives also secrete more skin
moisture when they see disgusting images, such as a person eating worms.
Liberals feel disgust, too, but a bit less.
Anything that prods us to think of disgust or cleanliness also seems to
have at least a temporary effect on our politics. It pushes our sanctity
buttons and makes us more conservative.
A University of Toronto study found that if people were asked to wash
their hands with soap and water before filling out a questionnaire, they
become more moralistic about issues like drug use and pornography. Researchers found that interviewees on Stanford’s campus offered harsher, more moralistic views after “fart spray” had been released in the area.
At Cornell University, students answered questions in more conservative ways when they were simply near a hand sanitizer station.
Our ideologies shape much more than our politics. We even seek pets who reflect our moral outlook. Researchers at YourMorals.org
found that liberals prefer dogs who are gentle but not subservient,
while conservatives seek dogs who are loyal and obedient.
In short, moral and political judgments are complex and contradictory,
shaped by a panoply of values, personalities — maybe even smells.
Little of this is a conscious or intellectual process. Indeed, Haidt
cites research that a higher I.Q. doesn’t lead people to think through
their moral positions in a more balanced, open way (although they are
more eloquent in defending those positions).
There’s even extensive research finding that professors of moral philosophy are no more moral than other scholars.
And do you know what kind of books are disproportionately stolen from libraries? Books on ethics.
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