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Why are conservatives happier than liberals?
1Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY 10003-6634, USA. jnapier@nyu.edu
Psychological Science
|June 27, 2008
Summary
Conservatives report greater happiness than liberals, a finding linked to rationalizing inequality. This ideological buffer helps conservatives cope with economic disparities, widening the happiness gap.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Political Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- System-justification theory suggests people prefer stable social systems.
- Conservative ideology may function to alleviate psychological distress.
- Previous research indicates potential differences in well-being between political orientations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate why conservatives report higher subjective well-being than liberals.
- To examine the mediating role of inequality rationalization in this relationship.
- To assess the impact of economic inequality on the political happiness gap.
Main Methods:
- Utilized three studies with nationally representative data from the US and nine other countries.
- Employed correlational analyses to examine the association between political orientation and subjective well-being.
- Analyzed data on economic inequality (Gini index) over time to assess its influence.
Main Results:
- A significant association was found between right-wing orientation and greater subjective well-being.
- The relationship between political orientation and well-being was mediated by the rationalization of inequality.
- Increasing economic inequality correlated with an expanded happiness gap between liberals and conservatives.
Conclusions:
- Conservative ideology appears to provide a buffer against the negative psychological effects of economic inequality.
- Rationalizing inequality is a key mechanism explaining why conservatives are happier than liberals.
- Societal economic conditions can exacerbate political differences in subjective well-being.
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