Data Science & Psychology Data Science applied to Values, Morals, Politics, & things that matter.

1. 

   Jane
   April 29th, 2010 - 07:13

   I think it is interesting that the two things liberals found the least moral (cocaine and driving with cellphones) – the liberals still only rated them a “3″ – that is not all that immoral at all. Liberals at best seem ambivalent or uncertain on these issues. Conservations only feel strongly about drugs, all other habits they seem not to judge morally.
2. 

   Jane
   April 29th, 2010 - 07:14

   *Conservatives
3. 

   wreaver
   May 3rd, 2010 - 21:24

   @Ravi said,
   “Interestingly, liberal visitors felt that distracted driving is about as immoral as using cocaine and much more immoral than smoking marijuana. Conservatives, on the other hand, felt that the use of illicit drugs (cocaine and marijuana) was more immoral than driving while using a cellphone. This is perhaps another way to show the robust moral foundations theory finding that liberals care more about issues of harm (e.g. distracted drivers might kill someone), while conservatives care more about issues of purity (e.g. taking drugs is unnatural) and authority (e.g. especially illegal drugs).”

   Did you confirm that the conservatives do not believe that taking drugs are harmful? Either harmful to the person taking the drugs. Or harmful in the sense that it increases the murder rate, theft rate, etc? These are arguments I often hear from people who are “against drugs”. I.e., people who I’ve debated with who are against drugs” will make harm-type arguments.

   Also, if the vertical axis represents the number of people, and that scale is going from 0 to 6 people, then those are REALLY small N’s you are dealing with. I don’t see how you can draw any useful conclusions from such a small sample size.
4. 

   wreaver
   May 3rd, 2010 - 22:49

   Actually, I see now that the vertical axis can’t be the number of people. (Or else you’d have some “fractional people” in there )
5. 

   Ravi
   May 4th, 2010 - 10:25

   I’ll put the sample sizes (1,538 liberals and 337 conservatives) into the post as others have asked about that too.. thanks for your interest.
6. 

   Nan McCarry
   November 26th, 2010 - 07:23

   wreaver, Thanks for your comment about conservatives being concerned about harm regarding illegal drugs. I am one who finds drug-taking immoral because of the violence connected with the drug trade. I think that using illegal drugs supports narco-terrorists and instability in the third world, and is responsible for much of the violence in impoverished neighborhoods in our own country. (I’m not sure what category I’d be in–conservative on some issues, very liberal on others.) I also see recreational drug use as one of the excesses of our unsustainable Western society that celebrates the individual–like shopping and McMansions, but more hip. I think I have that Kantian “If everyone did this, it would be bad, so I shouldn’t engage in it” feeling about all drug abuse.

   Regarding the connection of illegal drugs and violence, many would say that we should therefore just legalize everything. For me, this then brings out the visceral disgust reaction; the stronger the drug, the stronger the reaction. So, for marijuana, I vaguely feel that by using it you are supporting violence; whereas towards heroin use or binge drinking, I have a strong visceral disgust. (The obvious argument against legalization is that alcohol is legal, and we all know it does cause huge problems in terms of violence, illness, and the disintegration of families–but we found out during Prohibition that you can’t make something illegal once it’s been legal.)

   This visceral reaction is largely genetically based, I suspect. Others in my immediate family have it as well.
7. 

   Operation 420
   April 11th, 2011 - 17:48

   Beware of people that’re outspoken on certain issues. It usually means they are waste deep in that issue themselves. Like the politicians that fight prostitution and then get caught with a hooker.

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