The word conservative is defined as "disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones and to limit change."
Why then is it that a new study shows self-described conservatives are turned off by the thought of helping conserve energy and the environment?
The study, conducted by Dena M. Gromet, Howard Kunreuther, and Richard P. Larrick of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, published the following abstract:
"This research demonstrates how promoting the environment can negatively affect adoption of energy efficiency in the United States because of the political polarization surrounding environmental issues. Study 1 demonstrated that more politically conservative individuals were less in favor of investment in energy-efficient technology than were those who were more politically liberal. This finding was driven primarily by the lessened psychological value that more conservative individuals placed on reducing carbon emissions. Study 2 showed that this difference has consequences: In a real-life choice context, more conservative individuals were less likely to purchase a more expensive energy-efficient light bulb when it was labeled with an environmental message than when it was unlabeled. These results highlight the importance of taking into account psychological value-based considerations in the individual adoption of energy-efficient technology in the United States and beyond."
That's right! If some conservatives are given a head's up via a label they know most liberals would support, this makes them less likely to purchase the product, even if they know it could make a positive difference in their lives and the world at large. I will now list a few other products and their labels that most liberals would support, and while most conservatives may be seriously tempted to buy the products at first glance, they're quickly turned away by the evil liberally-biased labels:
Product: A book
Conservative's reaction: "Well, huh, this looks interesting. I haven't read one for a while. This will be perfect for the flight to Timbuktu or wherever it is my wife and I are going. Where are we going, honey? Oh, Topeka."
Label: "Support education!"
Conservative's reaction: "Oh, hell no! Who do these people think they're fooling anyway? D*mn liberals! Who needs teachers anyway? I ain't never had any."
Product: A safe
Conservative's reaction: "Well, I'll be! I've been looking to get one of these things for a while! With Junior about to be born, I need a safe to stash all my guns."
Label: "Stop gun violence!"
Conservative's reaction: "They just had to go and ruin it, didn't they? Here I'm just looking to buy a safe to prevent accidental gun violence with Junior on his way and they have to push their anti-gun violence agenda on me. I'm looking elsewhere!"
Product: A condom
Conservative's reaction: "It's better to be safe than sorry, I guess. Her husband's out of town and she's already popped out 19 kids. I better be especially careful with this one."
Label: "Practice safe sex"
Conservative's reaction: "Oh no, they didn't! I've had it with these pro-sex schools teaching about condoms! The only thing we should be teaching is abstinence! Abstinence is THE only way we can fully prevent pregnancy! Alright, well, screw this! I'm going to go all in with the adultery unprotected! Here comes #20!"
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conservative?s=t
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/04/26/1218453110
Why then is it that a new study shows self-described conservatives are turned off by the thought of helping conserve energy and the environment?
The study, conducted by Dena M. Gromet, Howard Kunreuther, and Richard P. Larrick of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, published the following abstract:
"This research demonstrates how promoting the environment can negatively affect adoption of energy efficiency in the United States because of the political polarization surrounding environmental issues. Study 1 demonstrated that more politically conservative individuals were less in favor of investment in energy-efficient technology than were those who were more politically liberal. This finding was driven primarily by the lessened psychological value that more conservative individuals placed on reducing carbon emissions. Study 2 showed that this difference has consequences: In a real-life choice context, more conservative individuals were less likely to purchase a more expensive energy-efficient light bulb when it was labeled with an environmental message than when it was unlabeled. These results highlight the importance of taking into account psychological value-based considerations in the individual adoption of energy-efficient technology in the United States and beyond."
That's right! If some conservatives are given a head's up via a label they know most liberals would support, this makes them less likely to purchase the product, even if they know it could make a positive difference in their lives and the world at large. I will now list a few other products and their labels that most liberals would support, and while most conservatives may be seriously tempted to buy the products at first glance, they're quickly turned away by the evil liberally-biased labels:
Product: A book
Conservative's reaction: "Well, huh, this looks interesting. I haven't read one for a while. This will be perfect for the flight to Timbuktu or wherever it is my wife and I are going. Where are we going, honey? Oh, Topeka."
Label: "Support education!"
Conservative's reaction: "Oh, hell no! Who do these people think they're fooling anyway? D*mn liberals! Who needs teachers anyway? I ain't never had any."
Product: A safe
Conservative's reaction: "Well, I'll be! I've been looking to get one of these things for a while! With Junior about to be born, I need a safe to stash all my guns."
Label: "Stop gun violence!"
Conservative's reaction: "They just had to go and ruin it, didn't they? Here I'm just looking to buy a safe to prevent accidental gun violence with Junior on his way and they have to push their anti-gun violence agenda on me. I'm looking elsewhere!"
Product: A condom
Conservative's reaction: "It's better to be safe than sorry, I guess. Her husband's out of town and she's already popped out 19 kids. I better be especially careful with this one."
Label: "Practice safe sex"
Conservative's reaction: "Oh no, they didn't! I've had it with these pro-sex schools teaching about condoms! The only thing we should be teaching is abstinence! Abstinence is THE only way we can fully prevent pregnancy! Alright, well, screw this! I'm going to go all in with the adultery unprotected! Here comes #20!"
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conservative?s=t
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/04/26/1218453110
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