Political moderates think in more complex terms than extremists

Evidence

Using these and other methods, researchers have investigated a number of possibilities, including the “rigidity of the right” hypothesis, the “extremist-asideologue” hypothesis, and the “contextual” hypothesis that political deviants are more sophisticated and knowledgeable than centrists (e.g., Gruenfeld, 1995; Sidanius, 1985, 1988; Tetlock, 1983; Wilson, 1973). A quantitative meta-analytic review by Jost, Glaser, Kruglanski, and Sulloway (2003) found that the most consistent evidence favors the “rigidity of the right” hypothesis that conservatives are significantly but modestly less cognitively complex than liberals in general. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 130 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Moderate left thinkers show more flexible reasoning than either conservatives or radicals. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2291; Holding conflicting values in tension drives more complex political thinking; Structural complexity of thought is independent of ideological correctness (+7 more)

Broader Connections

• Observed conservative-versus-liberal dogmatism gaps may be response-style artifacts #complicates (0.82)
• Conservatives are modestly but significantly less cognitively complex than liberals #complicates (0.78) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 130
• Political enmity exceeds both private hostility and the question of war #complicates (0.75)