Could biology be to blame for the US government shutdown?

Amy Hodges
713-348-6777
amy.hodges@rice.edu

Could biology be to blame for the US government shutdown?
Rice political scientist suggests individuals are biologically ‘hardwired’ to be either liberal or conservative

HOUSTON — (Oct. 4, 2013) — As the U.S. government remains shut down for a fourth day, Rice University political scientist John Alford is available to discuss how biology may be to blame for the current political impasse in the nation’s capital.

Alford, an associate professor of political science, specializes in research of the biology of political behavior, including brain science, genetics and the role of evolution in shaping human political beliefs. In his new book, “Predisposed: Liberals, Conservatives and the Biology of Political Differences,” Alford and his coauthors argue that the “universal rift” between conservatives and liberals endures not because of societal or familial influences, but because people have diverse psychological, physiological and genetic traits.

These biological differences influence much of what makes people who they are, including their orientation to politics, Alford said.

“It is our biology, and not always reason or the careful consideration of facts, that predisposes us to see and understand the world in different ways,” Alford said. “These predispositions are in turn responsible for noteworthy moments of political and ideological conflict that mark human history.”

Alford said the key to getting along politically is not the ability of one side to see the error of its ways but rather the ability of each side to see that the other is different, not just politically, but physically.

For more information or to schedule an interview with Alford, contact Amy Hodges, senior media relations specialist at Rice, at 713-348-6777 or amy.hodges@rice.edu.

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This news release can be found online at https://news2.rice.edu.

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Related materials:

John Alford bio: http://politicalscience.rice.edu/Content.aspx?id=56

“Predisposed: Liberals, Conservatives and the Biology of Political Differences”: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415535878/

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