When people say liberals are afraid of war, I think that is true. Any sane person is afraid of war. They are afraid of the horror of war itself.. If the US went to war for valid reasons you would have many less "scared" liberals. The justification of war would outweigh the fear.

Eric, orlando,

The UK Govt reportedly employs global management consultants who employ psychologists to administer the management consultants' set psychological tests to sift for suitable candidates for executive & other roles in the public sector, eg,the NHS. The global consultancy could be politically
biased.

Joan Moira Peters, Whangarei , temp o/seas in New Zealand

While this study can't really show cause-and-effect with regard to "nature vs. nurture," the similarity of participants in an experimental study being more similar is actually a good thing. Also, it's not a survey, but given the comments, it sure seems like many conservatives here are very scared.

Carson, Athens, USA

I'd say Stan pretty much nailed the "war" issue. I don't know what a social con might look like in the UK but I know what they look like in the states and this study fits to a T the neocons I know of. The only thing they're tough on is hardball legislation, and a bit deficient on personal courage.

Jeremy D., Waterloo IA, USA

I would say that conservatives do not "deal with war better"? They are certainly more easily frightened into starting a war. It's the fear that makes them willing to send someone else's children to defend themselves. Cool headed, thinking types (liberals) are not that easily manipulated.

Stan, Roanoke, USA

Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's wrong. This correlation is a reflection of the activation of the sympathetic nervous system, which has already been shown in other studies to be more reactive in groups that comprise many social conservatives. Really. It's the truth. Like dinosaurs.

Tim, Fairbanks, AK, USA

So, then why would conservatives deal with war better? It's liberals that seem to be scared of war.

Neal Campbell, Dallas,

Does anyone else suspect the "scientists" were just grad students who had to come up with this "study" as a term project, on the final weekend of the term? I'm not impressed by a population of less than fifty all from the same city.

Clinton Bates, Dallas, USA

This study tells us what we knew: that conservatism is based on fear. However, the established correlation doesn't imply that the vulnerability to fear-reactions is the effect of genetic make-up and the cause of conservative views. These are just assumptions. Maybe conservatism generates fear...

Joao Bosco, Porto, Portugal

Reading the comments on the article I understand the view the Darwinism is not taught well enough.If it were, maybe the naysayers would expend a little imagination and relate our evolution to the results of this study.

robert everitt, wolverhampton,

Ah yes that clearly world wide representative group that lives in Lincoln Nebraska - the home of international and ethnic diversity, supporting a wide range of different views and beliefs.
Oh wait no that isnt right. (no offence intended to Lincoln residents but not likely to give a diverse group.

Douglas Mortimer, Tutamkari, UK

While it would be nice to think that I am less fearful, therefore less prone to pragmatic behaviour, as apparently a conservative is, I don't believe this study. My responses are set by my environment and experiences in life, which is surely the 'systematic training' that is talked about here.

kim, London,

Rubbish! Ten years of Nulab has turned lots of liberals into right wing conservatives.
Before Blair voting conservative would be like breaking my teeth, now I can't wait to get rid of the left.

lord S, Nottingham, Uk

But surely it's my fearful nature which enables me to instantly see the gaping flaw in any policy, left, right, centre, anarchist, authoritarian, off the wall, OMRLP, whatever.

These 46 Nebraskans clearly don't represent me. I doubt they're representative of anyone, much.

Ian Kemmish, Biggleswade, UK

If this is true then I would encourage conservative men to contact the nearest fertility clinic and sign up to be sperm doners!

Mike McNew, Eugene, USA

Baloney. I think of Nancy Hopkins who claimed she was about to faint when Larry Summers wondered why more women were not in the higher sciences. That was a Harvard, ie Liberal experience. And then there is that woman Sarah Palin, a conservative, I believe, who I don't think would faint over anything

obeara, sarasota, usa

Is that also why most people who smoke pot tend to be liberal....they don't startle much anymore? Perhaps they are self-medicating so they can take a more "politically correct" view of the world.

M Velasco, Austin, USA

What even counts as a "liberal" versus a "conservative"? If you talked with me about government policy on social issues, I would be considered a liberal. If you talked with me about government policy on economic issues, I would be considered extremely conservative. If you talked with me about personal social views, you might consider me liberal if I was in the south (where I currently live) or conservative if I lived in NYC (where I grew up).

Unless they spell out what counts as conservative or liberal, I'm thinking this study might be bogus.

Jim W, Tallahassee, FL, USA

Surely what was measured was sensitivity itself and also empathy, since the three pictures presented no direct threat to the viewer. Also startle response does not equate fear. Therefore it is wrong to try and twist the meaning of the results to indicate greater or lesser fear in an individual.

Joan Moira Peters, Whangarei UK Citizen, temp o/seas in New Zealand

Does this explain why liberals tend to wet their panties and run away and hide whenever a Muzzie gets "offended" by a cartoon?

Dan Johnson, Cambridge , Mass