This Is Probably An Interesting Blog (but in the offhand chance it isn't…)

I ran across this bit at Clusterflock. A study by Cornell University Professor David Pizarro found a close relationship between conservatism and feelings of squeamishness, specifically emotional responses like disgust. It certainly explains a lot:

Morals and disgust are intertwined. Research earlier this year found that people react similarly to disgusting photographs by curling the upper lip and wrinkling the nose. When judging behavior, our disgust can actually make us feel physically sick.

Pizarro explains that disgust is evolution’s way of protecting us from disease. Unfortunately, in his view, disgust is now used to make moral judgments.

Liberals and conservatives disagree about whether disgust has a valid place in making moral judgments, Pizarro argues. Some conservatives think there is inherent wisdom in repugnance, that feeling disgusted about something – gay sex between consenting adults, for example – is cause enough to judge it wrong or immoral, even lacking a concrete reason, Pizarro explains. Liberals tend to disagree, and are more likely to base judgments on whether an action or a thing causes actual harm, he said.

Studying the link between disgust and moral judgment could help explain the strong differences in people’s moral opinions, Pizarro figures. And it could offer strategies for persuading some to change their views.

“People have pointed out for a long time that a lot of our moral values seem driven by emotion, and in particular, disgust appears to be one of those emotions that seems to be recruited for moral judgments,” Pizarro said.

An interesting related aside to chew on: Research published in 2007 in the Journal of Applied Psychologyfound that people who think of themselves as having high moral standards often become the worst cheatsbecause they pursue what they believe to be a moral end at all cost.