London - Being able to control yourself is less common among Left-wingers than conservatives, scientists have found.
They say the reason for the difference is that those on the right are more likely to believe that they have free will and that individuals have the power to change things.
Leftists, however, believe that everything is controlled by forces outside of their control, such as their genes or society, the researchers claim.
In three studies, scientists from the universities of Cincinnati, Indiana and Florida tested two groups of students who considered themselves either politically conservative – endorsing traditional values and the status quo – or liberal – believing in “egalitarian ideals and progressive change”.
Conservatives were better at “regulating their attention” and persisting with tasks, possibly because of their belief that success is down to one’s own efforts, the authors write in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Daily Mail