New research reported in this article from CNN Health draws a connection between our genes and how we think politically.
By pinpointing certain genes in the human body, scientists can predict parts of a person’s political ideology. Some people are naturally groupish, others not so much. Some people are sexually free, others sexually repressed.
Some part of these differences is from rearing and culture, but massive variation exists even within the same household. One’s overall genetic disposition has some role in the formation of one’s psychological architecture,” notes Peter K. Hatemi, associate professor of political science and microbiology at Penn State University, as well as a research fellow at the USSC-University of Sydney and the primary investigator of the study.
Hard to argue with his conclusions:
“Rather than people on opposing sides of the political fence yelling at each about who is right, or trying to show or convince the other is wrong, maybe this research can help the public and policy makers recognize that people see the same thing differently, and at times no amount of yelling or ‘proof’ will sway them.”
I’ve never liked this “one gene – one trait” type of inquiry and now with the whole epigenetics realization, its falling apart at the seams even further. Its become what genome under what environmental conditions, and even more recently, from what part of the organism (it seems taking the genes from the blood of an individual yields a different genome sequence than from saliva than from an organ – go figure).
We truly are tetra-arising, even at a genetic level, and it so the pursuit of understanding the causal way in which genes create our bodies and minds and influence our behaviour is not going to be a particularly fruitful area of science!
I enjoy your posts Jeff. Keep ’em up!
Hi Jeff,
Also check out Jonathan Haidt’s book The Righteous Mind which looks at this through the lens of moral psychology with a lot of empirical references. I’m just starting Part II after his case that, in a cracked nutshell, conservative political beliefs are more congruent with our psychology (at least when that is unmodified by reflection).
Very interesting book which should be a staple (and starting point in reading and thinking) for anyone seriously interested in how our moral intuitions and metaphors percolate out into and become political philosophies.
Simon
Hi Jeff,
I agree with your conclusion that a perspective that understands and supports all aspects of the various groups is necessary to start bridging the gaps between them.
Hatemi’s conclusion points to why there is such discord and disconnect in the US politics. The two sides have completely different viewpoints so they never really hear what the other is saying.
But his research as the basis for that conclusion is flawed. It contends that political beliefs are fixed throughout life since they can be extrapolated genetically, as genes do not change over the short term according to current genetic research. My changing political views over my life (conservative Republican to Integral) reject this assertion since it completely ignores the intra-generational evolutionary impulse found in individuals.
Scientist may some day find the link they are looking for in the DNA strands, but they’re not there yet.
Does getting the right answer (honoring multiple perspectives) still count for them even if they got there the wrong way?