Can 'Boozing It Up' Make Us More Conservative?

Could knocking back a few beers influence a person’s political views?

A scholarly study conducted in part by University of Kansas psychology professor Chris Crandall finds that as blood alcohol levels rise, people become increasingly intoxicated with conservative policies. In fact, the more alcohol downed by participants in the study, the further to the political right their views leaned.
 
“Alcohol did not make the patrons lose track of their identity as liberals or conservatives, but when it came time to think about actual policies, the higher their blood alcohol, the more they endorsed conservative positions,” says Crandall.

In the first portion of Tuesday’s Up to Date, Steve Kraske talks with Crandall about the study and why when you make it difficult to think, conservative ideas are more appealing.”

Crandall co-authored the study with Scott Eidelman and John C. Blanchar of the University of Arkansas and Jeffrey A. Goodman of the University of Wisconsin. The full article, “Low-Effort Thought Promotes Political Conservatism,” is available here.