Why is it that American politics consists almost entirely of a single left/right spectrum? Is it that people stick with party lines, choosing to take the side that fits with their ideology? One would expect people to be more scattered in their opinions on issues as diverse as abortion, the environment, LGBTQ rights and economic policy. However, the conservative/liberal spectrum is fairly straightforward and is becoming more polarized than ever in the modern political world. One explanation for this phenomenon deals with the personality differences between people and how these change their political ideology.

   It would be a stretch to say that psychology is the absolute determining factor behind political ideology; environmental factors and more contribute to the development of a person’s ideology. However, statistics show that there is likely a relationship between a person’s personality and their political beliefs. Therapy publications such as goodtherapy.org believe that character traits such as open-mindedness and respect for authority play a central role in ideology. Liberals tend to be more open to new experiences and contrasting ideas, whereas conservatives prefer order and predictability. Additionally, conservatives tend to have a greater respect for authority and a tendency to want to fall in line behind authority figures. Liberals often score higher in empathy and compassion and conservatives show a more ‘dominant’ personality.

   In addition, research led by the University of Nebraska shows a greater tendency for conservatives to have a stronger “negativity bias” in their thinking, meaning that they tend to react to and retain negative stimuli more than other stimuli. This could support the liberal view that conservatives are driven by fear, or the conservative belief that conservative ideas are more realistic and cautious. This also means that liberals are more likely to engage in risk-taking behavior.

   Understanding the differences in the way people think is paramount to understanding America’s political divisiveness and to working toward a more functional and cooperative government. In certain issues it might not be worth trying convince people of the opposite party, and instead government officials should be more willing to compromise.

   The idea that there are fundamental differences between people in opposing parties should not be seen as a reason to ignore or discount the beliefs of others. If anything, it reinforces the need for compromise and a political middle-ground.The only way that the government can efficiently function is if our government officials choose to emphasize cooperation rather than trying to convince the opposition using hardline politics.