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Biopolitics: people with high anxiety levels are less likely to vote Biopolitics: people with high anxiety levels may be less likely to vote
(35 minutes later)
If you’re feeling higher levels of stress on election day, you may want to check your saliva. A group of neuroscientists and political scientists have pioneered a new field called biopolitics, the study of biology and political behavior.If you’re feeling higher levels of stress on election day, you may want to check your saliva. A group of neuroscientists and political scientists have pioneered a new field called biopolitics, the study of biology and political behavior.
One recent study that analyzed saliva to measure stress levels found that people with higher levels of stress may be less likely to vote. The study by Dr Jeffrey French, a psychologist at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and Kevin Smith, a political scientist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, looked at stress and voting by analyzing cortisol, a hormone we release when we’re stressed. The easiest way to test cortisol is through saliva, so the researchers collected spit samples from a bunch of participants and got their official voting records for the past six elections.One recent study that analyzed saliva to measure stress levels found that people with higher levels of stress may be less likely to vote. The study by Dr Jeffrey French, a psychologist at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and Kevin Smith, a political scientist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, looked at stress and voting by analyzing cortisol, a hormone we release when we’re stressed. The easiest way to test cortisol is through saliva, so the researchers collected spit samples from a bunch of participants and got their official voting records for the past six elections.
The researchers found that people with higher cortisol levels vote less. And that finding correlates with another one of their studies, which found that people who voted absentee experienced less stress than people who went to the polls.The researchers found that people with higher cortisol levels vote less. And that finding correlates with another one of their studies, which found that people who voted absentee experienced less stress than people who went to the polls.
Producers at WNYC’s Only Human podcast took this study a bit further, collecting the saliva samples from viewers at debate watch parties with the help of French and Smith. The analysis wasn’t as pristine as those undertaken in the lab, but it did identify a few patterns French and Smith deemed statistically significant.Producers at WNYC’s Only Human podcast took this study a bit further, collecting the saliva samples from viewers at debate watch parties with the help of French and Smith. The analysis wasn’t as pristine as those undertaken in the lab, but it did identify a few patterns French and Smith deemed statistically significant.
Most viewers’ cortisol levels didn’t change much over the course of the debate, but Trump supporters had a baseline cortisol level twice as high as that for Clinton supporters, suggesting they went into the debate with twice as much stress. One category of viewers did see their cortisol levels increase from the beginning to the end of the debate: Trump supporters who had a political conflict with a person close to them, such as a parent, a sibling, a spouse.Most viewers’ cortisol levels didn’t change much over the course of the debate, but Trump supporters had a baseline cortisol level twice as high as that for Clinton supporters, suggesting they went into the debate with twice as much stress. One category of viewers did see their cortisol levels increase from the beginning to the end of the debate: Trump supporters who had a political conflict with a person close to them, such as a parent, a sibling, a spouse.
This reporting was part of the United States of Anxiety, a podcast from WNYC Studios and The Nation magazine. WNYC is partnering with the Guardian on a series of election events.This reporting was part of the United States of Anxiety, a podcast from WNYC Studios and The Nation magazine. WNYC is partnering with the Guardian on a series of election events.