Genetic Attributions: Sign of Intolerance or Acceptance?

Authors

Stephen P. Schneider, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Kevin B. Smith, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
John R. Hibbing, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

2018

Citation

The Journal of Politics, volume 80, number 3.

Comments

Copyright 2018 by the Southern Political Science Association.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/696860

Abstract

Many scholars argue that people who attribute human characteristics to genetic causes also tend to hold politically and socially problematic attitudes. More specifically, public acceptance of genetic influences is believed to be associated with intolerance, prejudice, and the legitimation of social inequities and laissez-faire policies. We test these expectations with original data from two nationally representative samples that allow us to identify the American public’s attributional patterns across 18 diverse traits. Key findings are (1) genetic attributions are actually more likely to be made by liberals, not conservatives; (2) genetic attributions are associated with higher, not lower, levels of tolerance of vulnerable individuals; and (3) genetic attributions do not correlate with unseemly racial attitudes.