Summary of Alford, Funk, and Hibbing: Are political orientations genetically transmitted -- Adam Brown, BYU Political Science

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Alford, Funk, and Hibbing: Are political orientations genetically transmitted

Disclaimer. Don't rely on these old notes in lieu of reading the literature, but they can jog your memory. As a grad student long ago, my peers and I collaborated to write and exchange summaries of political science research. I posted them to a wiki-style website. "Wikisum" is now dead but archived here. I cannot vouch for these notes' accuracy, nor can I say who wrote them.

Alford, Funk, and Hibbing. 2005. Are political orientations genetically transmitted?. American Political Science Review 99 (May).

Main Point

Political attitudes (but not party ID) are more strongly influenced by genetic factors (interacting with environmental factors) than by environmental factors.

In (earlier) studies of religiosity, genetists have found that religious views/practices are strongly influenced by genetics, but religious affliation is not; it is simply learned from one's parents. Similarly, political attitudes are strongly influenced by genetics, but party ID is not.

Nature vs Nurture

The authors stress that environmental factors still matter; people can act against genetic predispositions, and genes most likely interact with the environment. For example, geneticists have found a specific gene that is related to depression--but it only causes depression when it interacts with high-stress events. Genetic predispositions most likely interact with environmental factors in similar ways.

Causal mechanism

Not especially clear. They talk at one point about an example that might summarize their view: Genetists have shown that genes influence a few general personality traits, like openness. Perhaps those with the "openness" trait are more open to gays, hippies, atheists, communists, etc--so that this trait reinforces liberalism.

Method

Large-N comparison of monozygotal and dizygotal twins.

Research by the same authors

Research on similar subjects

Conover and Feldman: The origins and meaning of liberal/conservative self-identifications (4 shared tags)
Abramowitz and Saunders: Ideological realignment in the American electorate (3 shared tags)
Brace, Sims-Butler, Arceneaux, and Johnson: Public opinion in the American states (3 shared tags)
Carsey and Harden: New Measures of Partisanship, Ideology, and Policy Mood in the American States (3 shared tags)
Converse: The nature of belief systems in mass publics (3 shared tags)
Fiorina: Parties, participation, and representation in America (3 shared tags)
Schlozman and Verba: Unemployment, class consciousness, and radical politics (3 shared tags)
Smith: The levels of conceptualization (3 shared tags)

Tags

Alford, John (author) • Funk, Carolyn (author) • Hibbing, John (author) • American Politics • Public Opinion • Ideology • Identity

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