A new psychology study has found that liberals and conservatives may actually share a similar foundation when it comes to morality, despite their political differences.
The study, published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, suggests that both political groups base many of their moral beliefs on the idea of preventing harm.
Researchers found that disagreements between liberals and conservatives often come down to what they call “assumptions of vulnerability,” meaning people disagree about who is most likely to be harmed in society.
According to the study, both liberals and conservatives agree that marginalized groups and the environment are at risk of harm, but they disagree on how large the gap is between vulnerable groups and those in power.
Liberals tend to believe there is a very large gap between marginalized people and powerful groups, meaning they see certain groups as much more vulnerable than others.
Conservatives, on the other hand, are more likely to see vulnerability as something that affects everyone, including powerful individuals and even religious institutions.
Researchers say these differences in how people view vulnerability may help explain why political debates often become so divided, even when both sides believe they are trying to prevent harm.
