A new study showed a link between strong right-wing views and fear of disease and increased concern about hygiene.
The study showed that people who are more offended by bad odors are more likely to support authoritarian leaders, such as Donald Trump.
In the past, disgust at bad odors was important for survival. The scientists suggested that the disgust at unfamiliar odors may be linked to a desire to keep apart from "culturally unfamiliar" groups.
[...] In the new study, 160 people were rated on their aversion to bodily odours on a scale to one five and their responses compared to their political views. It found that each point higher on the disgust scale was associated with feeling 7.5 points more positive towards authoritarian leaders.
[...] It showed that people who were more disgusted by smells were also more likely to vote for Donald Trump than those who were less sensitive.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 01 2018, @08:28AM (1 child)
"When in a room with a bad odour, participants exhibited more conservative attitudes compared to those in a control room without a bad odour." [soylentnews.org]
"Disgusting images ... generate neural responses that are highly predictive of political orientation" [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 01 2018, @01:48PM
It would be so funny if not such a waste of time and money. I also wish there was some way to stop these people from passing themselves off as scientists. I mean it takes 2 minutes to look at the research and see it is just more p-hacked bs.