Trump Supporters Display Higher Prevalence of Malevolent Traits

[HDGristle]

A new psychological study has found that people who report favorable views of Donald Trump also tend to score higher on measures of callousness, manipulation, and other malevolent traits—and lower on empathy and compassion. The findings, based on two large surveys of U.S. adults, shed light on how personality traits relate to political beliefs, including support for Trump and conservative ideology. The research was recently published in theJournal of Research in Personality.

Malevolent personality traits—sometimes called “dark” traits—include tendencies such as manipulativeness, callousness, narcissism, and a lack of empathy. These traits are often captured by concepts like psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism, which together reflect a general disposition toward exploiting or disregarding others for personal gain.

People with stronger malevolent traits may be more comfortable with aggression, dominance, or cruelty and less likely to value fairness or kindness. These tendencies are associated with lower levels of affective empathy (concern for others’ suffering) and, in some cases, higher levels of dissonant empathy (enjoyment of others’ pain). In contrast, benevolent traits reflect the opposite—a disposition marked by compassion, humanism, and a belief in treating others with dignity and respect.

https://www.psypost.org/trump-suppor...nd-narcissism/

This isn't about specific people. Keep it civil. Do you agree or disagree, and why?

Even if you agree, can you show us examples of benevolence on the right?

[Devo]

Originally Posted by HDGristle

https://www.psypost.org/trump-suppor...nd-narcissism/

This isn't about specific people. Keep it civil. Do you agree or disagree, and why?

Even if you agree, can you show us examples of benevolence on the right?

No.

Do your own homework.

Obviously you believe the report, and, have made the decision to make us prove to dispute it.

I see acts of Xtian benevolence every day, and as a Boy Scout, I try to do my good deed for the day.

I live it, OK.

I could probably do the same study as on the left and find as many bad people as there are on the right, I didn't conduct it, I didn't see the questions or answers.

Former secret, I am clergy, one of the things I do, is talk to people, recently at the nursing home, because I have been there everyday for so long the days run together.

The facility my mother is in, has a lot of people who wheel around all day, and I eventually meet them when I go to the lounge to sit for a bit.

I take the time to talk to them, to give them 10 minutes of attention, ask them how they are, if they need anything, but mainly to help them just have some company for a change.

My family has adopted my mums roomate, she has a son who rarely vistits, and that's about it, I bring my mum Ice Cream, she gets it too, fresh Watermelon today, she grudingly took it but loved it.

My dad leaves them both a chocolate covered cherry each night, you can't do for one and not the other, its not how we are raised.

There is not much cost for the little things, but, the ROI, is priceless.

Which is why it FUCKING BOTHERS me so much when you make assumptions about MAGA or conservatives in general, I have never met an angry person who I speak with that voted for Trump, not going there, but, we tend to be alike, working, caring for family, just other folks in the world, thats what I see around me everyday in Armstrong County, you are so wrong about what you believe.

[oldman2525]

lol ever been around a far left liberal protest?

assholes blocking ambulances torching cars?

what a joke

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/b...s-and-ideology

https://magazine.columbia.edu/articl...among-liberals

It has been claimed that left-wingers or liberals (US sense) tend to more often suffer from mental illness than right-wingers or conservatives. This potential link was investigated using the General Social Survey cumulative cross-sectional dataset (1972-2018). A search of the available variables resulted in 5 items measuring one's own mental illness (e.g., ”Do you have any emotional or mental disability?”). All of these items were weakly associated with left-wing political ideology as measured by self-report, with especially high rates seen for the “extremely liberal” group. These results mostly held up in regressions that adjusted for age, sex, and race. For the variable with the most data (n = 11,338), the difference in the mental illness measure between “extremely liberal” and “extremely conservative” was 0.39 d. Temporal analysis showed that the relationship between mental illness, happiness, and political ideology has existed in the GSS data since the 1970s and still existed in the 2010s. Within-study meta-analysis of all the results found that extreme liberals had a 150% increased rate of mental illness compared to moderates. The finding of increased mental illness among left-wingers is congruent with numerous findings based on related constructs, such as positive relationships between conservatism, religiousness and health in general.

[HDGristle]

Devo, its ok that you don't agree. I love that you took a good chunk of time to show ways that Trump supporters show benevolence.

I applaud you for that and quite on point. I didn't weigh in though, so that part isn't.

Oldman, there's a thread for that GM started a few weeks back. This isn't about the prevalence of mental illness for liberals.

https://www.eccie.net/showthread.php?t=3045348

[Devo]

Gristle, it's not about Trump supporters, it's about neighbors.

[Devo]

And just good people.

Is that a premise you can accept?

Just having good people around you, Trump, Biden, doesn't matter.

[HDGristle]

But the study, like all research, has limitations. Although the study is based on large and diverse samples, the research was cross-sectional, meaning that it cannot determine cause and effect. It is also focused specifically on Trump’s first term in office, and attitudes may have shifted since then. Additionally, the study relied on self-report measures, which can be influenced by social desirability or personal biases, though the authors used statistical methods to reduce such effects.

It is also important to note that research compares average personality trait scores between two groups of people (those who viewed Trump favorably and those who did not). While the researchers found statistically significant differences—such as higher average scores on traits like psychopathy and lower scores on empathy among Trump supporters—these are group-level trends, not absolute labels. The findings do not mean that all Trump supporters are manipulative or lack compassion, nor that all non-supporters are empathetic or benevolent. Individuals within each group vary widely, and the results reflect differences in average tendencies, not universal characteristics.

More from the article, focused on the acknowledged limitations.

It's not about convincing me, Devo. It's just data and interpreted trends. Note that I didn't specifically ask for people who agree to provide examples. I did actively ask those who disagree to show examples of folks on the right displaying benevolence.

I also praised the effort you put in and appreciated your examples. We can be cordial during difficult conversations that challenge our perception and biases.

Are there parts of the research you agree with even though you disagree with the trends that were identified?

[tommy156]

Of course trump supporters are more callous and malevolent. That's what they love about him. They see their own selves in his idiotic cruelty.

[txdot-guy]

Originally Posted by Devo

Gristle, it's not about Trump supporters, it's about neighbors.

I think a conservative ideology supports a lack of empathy for groups that are considered ”other”. This statement by Devo is emblematic of the issue. Generosity and compassion towards your neighbors is OK but “others” outside that group are seen as not worthy of the same level of consideration.

It’s exemplified by the concept of “suicidal empathy”. The idea that too much empathy can destroy yourself and taken to a societal setting can destroy civilization as a whole.

Personally I think it’s a justification to be selfish but that’s just a personal opinion.

[Devo]

Originally Posted by txdot-guy

I think a conservative ideology supports a lack of empathy for groups that are considered ”other”. This statement by Devo is emblematic of the issue. Generosity and compassion towards your neighbors is OK but “others” outside that group are seen as not worthy of the same level of consideration.

It’s exemplified by the concept of “suicidal empathy”. The idea that too much empathy can destroy yourself and taken to a societal setting can destroy civilization as a whole.

Personally I think it’s a justification to be selfish but that’s just a personal opinion.

Well thank you, that was a very cordial way to call me a racist.

I focus part of my human history studies, on society, and on the need for early humans to form tribes.

It was a huge step when the first hunter gathering groups began to band up to increase their chances of survival, which coincidentally arrived at the point where humans began to grow food, and build the early parts of civilization.

We are bred to be protective of our tribe, men, are the hunters, women are the nest builders, and its been that way for most of history.

Its in our nature to want to be around people like us, that is natural and its not going to change, because in time, every civilization falls, and we return to tribes.

Everything we do is based upon our fish brain, our early mammal brain, our caveman brain all the way up to our hybrid Human, Neanderthal, Denisovan, and like other 18 other hominids we interbread with in just the last 50 thousand years.

I read an article today, where they are asserting up to 21 different tribal sources of DNA, other than homo sapien, the 21 include Neanderthal, Denisovan, and 19 others.

As the DNA unravels, with it, the understanding of who we actual are, you will begin to understand that breeding with the other people around and not liking strangers was a positively reinforced decision that kept humanity alive.

IF, we hadn't have killed off those other hominids, would we be anything other than what we are today?

[Devo]

"It’s exemplified by the concept of “suicidal empathy”. The idea that too much empathy can destroy yourself and taken to a societal setting can destroy civilization as a whole."

That is interesting, and in part, I think it describe a good portion of the left, and specifically the inner cities where we have built welfare plantations for certain groups of people.

If people choose to be lazy, and someone else starts paying the bills, why not take it?

The problem is, we are reaching a point where our country is going beyond broke, and nobody is keeping up with the payments.

AUSTERITY, is a word I keep saying and people keep ignoring that word.

[Devo]

"It’s exemplified by the concept of “suicidal empathy”. The idea that too much empathy can destroy yourself and taken to a societal setting can destroy civilization as a whole."

That is interesting, and in part, I think it describe a good portion of the left, and specifically the inner cities where we have built welfare plantations for certain groups of people.

If people choose to be lazy, and someone else starts paying the bills, why not take it?

The problem is, we are reaching a point where our country is going beyond broke, and nobody is keeping up with the payments.

AUSTERITY, is a word I keep saying and people keep ignoring that word.

[txdot-guy]

Originally Posted by txdot-guy

I think a conservative ideology supports a lack of empathy for groups that are considered ”other”. This statement by Devo is emblematic of the issue. Generosity and compassion towards your neighbors is OK but “others” outside that group are seen as not worthy of the same level of consideration.

Originally Posted by Devo

Well thank you, that was a very cordial way to call me a racist.

I’m sorry you see it that way because that interpretation was not my intent. My point is valid for conservative palestinians and conservative israelis and conservative germans and conservative christians. Conservatism doesn’t make you a racist although many racists are conservatives.

Conservatism as I see it rejects cooperation with the “other” because they see “them” as a drain on resources or holding beliefs considered anathema to their values. This means that cruelty, indifference and outright violence can be tolerated in a conservative movement as long as it is directed at the right people.

In the case of the MAGA movement the other is immigrants and liberals.

[eyecu2]

Originally Posted by txdot-guy

I’m sorry you see it that way because that interpretation was not my intent.

Conservatism as I see it rejects cooperation with the “other” because they see “them” as a drain on resources or holding beliefs considered anathema to their values. This means that cruelty, indifference and outright violence can be tolerated in a conservative movement as long as it is directed at the right people.

In the case of the MAGA movement the other is immigrants and liberals.

Oh he knew what you meant. We all knew. Conservatives think they're better than "less deserving folks" cause they've been gaslit for the past 12 yrs about Dems or libs as being the enemy and socialists. Funny, most RedHats are the ones getting aide, but still they hate libs just like a Nazis hated that "certain group". They live off apathy vs empathy....cause some stoked political hatred for over a decade... maybe two decades.

Heck, they even made t-shirts about it. "Fuck your feelings".

Apparently unless you live in a nursing home where they consider you to be one of their own.

Pretty myopic generally speaking- but still encouraging that there is some sense of value and consideration for folks in a nursing facility. Truly some of America's most forgotten - which is a whole different thread topic

I read somewhere Jesus emphasized loving one's neighbor and treating foreigners with the same love and respect as citizens. Imagine that

[oldman2525]

Originally Posted by txdot-guy

I think a conservative ideology supports a lack of empathy for groups that are considered ”other”. This statement by Devo is emblematic of the issue. Generosity and compassion towards your neighbors is OK but “others” outside that group are seen as not worthy of the same level of consideration.

It’s exemplified by the concept of “suicidal empathy”. The idea that too much empathy can destroy yourself and taken to a societal setting can destroy civilization as a whole.


Personally I think it’s a justification to be selfish but that’s just a personal opinion.

so much for your bullshit on selfish


https://www.aei.org/carpe-diem/who-g...conservatives/


https://www.philanthropyroundtable.o...-s-generosity/