Study: Liberals tend to show Higher Levels of Empathy Compared to Conservatives
The Empathy Gap: Exploring Differences Between Liberals and Conservatives
Recent research has shed light on an intriguing aspect of political psychology: the relationship between political ideology and empathy. Multiple studies suggest that, on average, liberals tend to exhibit higher levels of empathy compared to their conservative counterparts. This “empathy gap” has implications for understanding political attitudes and policy preferences across the ideological spectrum.
A 2018 study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found that “liberals wanted to feel more empathy and experienced more empathy than conservatives did.” This finding aligns with other research indicating a correlation between liberalism and higher self-reported empathy. Moreover, studies have consistently associated political conservatism with relatively lower levels of empathy.
Neurological evidence appears to support these findings. A study using…
