Biology and political orientation

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A number of studies have found that human biology may be linked with political orientation.^[1] This means that an individual's biology may predispose them to a particular political orientation and ideology or, conversely, that subscription to certain ideologies may predispose them to measurable biological and health outcomes.

One 2011 study, for instance, found that subjects with right-wing (or conservative in the United States) political views have larger amygdalae,^[2] areas of the brain associated with emotional responses such as fear, anxiety, and aggression. Based on such findings, some scholars argue that genetic factors account for at least some of the variation of political views.^[3][4] However, there is considerable disagreement among experts as to whether biological explanations for differences in political orientation are methodologically sound, and many studies which purport to demonstrate a connection have not been replicated.^[5][6]

From the perspective of evolutionary psychology, conflicts regarding redistribution of wealth may have been common in the ancestral environment and humans may have developed psychological mechanisms for judging their own chances of succeeding in such conflicts. Some researchers speculate that such mechanisms may affect political views.