Liberals are a prejudiced bunch – and it may cost them dearly at the polls
When it comes to estimating the values of the British public, liberals tend to get it wrong. Our new research reveals why this may undermine liberals’ motivation to become politically involved. The story goes that liberals have a soft, idealistic view of human nature, while conservatives have the more hardened view that people are essentially competitive or out for their own gain. Is this true? Researchers in the past, looking at ideology, trust and social responsibility, conclude that the ‘misanthropic conservative’ is basically a myth. Our research on values goes a step further, suggesting that, if anything, it’s liberals who are most likely to underestimate their peers.
Growing the Electorate
Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the UK Labour party, pointed out this morning that 36% of the electorate didn’t vote in the last election. He underscored the need to “grow the electorate”. New research that we’ve conducted provides insights into how this might be achieved.
Some psychological consequences of putting a price on nature
New research we’ve conducted provides further evidence that advancing the economic case for conservation is risky. It may undermine the foundations upon which deeper public concern about the environment will be built. We know that there are a range of problems with attempts to use estimates of the financial value of nature as a reason for conserving it. George Monbiot laid many […]
No Cause is an Island
A major new piece of research Most current approaches to creating change focus on specific causes (for example, biodiversity conservation or international development; climate change or disability rights). They identify key interventions – changes in people’s behaviour, or policies for example – that will help to advance these causes. And then they promote these interventions. […]
We need to talk about ‘alienation’
It was all the rage in the 1960s and 1970s … “Alienation is one of the most frequently encountered concepts in social science. Indeed, the amorphous, global concept of alienation has been used as a catchword to explain nearly every kind of aberrant behavior from drug abuse to political demonstrations.” (Mackey & Ahlgren, 1977). And […]
I Am Ecological: changing the story of ‘self’
The Common Cause report shows us that intrinsic values, such as equality and connection with nature, are associated with actions and attitudes towards a fair and sustainable society. Our ability to act for a greater good – as individuals, as a society – in other words depends on how altruistic or unselfish we are, how […]
The special theory of relationships – or why you accidently called your teacher ‘mum’
The desire to understand and classify different types of human relationships isn’t new; we’ve been pondering it for thousands of years. What rules govern our interactions? And how do relationships shape us into the people we become? The answers aren’t immediately straight forward, because the way we interact with each other is influenced by many […]
Four reasons why consumers will never solve climate change
Last week’s publication of the first instalment of the new IPCC report is a vital moment to be seized upon. It presents a fresh chance to put the issue of climate change back where it should be as one of the most fundamental modern global challenges: at the top of the political and social agenda. […]
Give & Live – just don’t confuse the two!
I hover my mouse over the two photos; should I go for the Qualcast or the Flymo? I click on the Qualcast and add it to my basket. The Flymo was called an ‘easi-glide’ and I refuse to promote illiteracy through my purchasing decisions. At least Qualcast have had the decency to add a U […]
Food for thought: how values affect our food choices
We in the West are living in an age of food plenty: faced with dizzying choice in our supermarket aisles, with foods from across the globe available – whatever the season – at prices that would have been unthinkable 50 years ago. How do we navigate this? What guides our decision to pick one product over another, […]