Political Orientation and Personality Type

After exploring political orientation and personality results scores for many years, I've found the data suggests being conservative is a core human orthogonal personality trait that everyone has to a certain degree. Similar to the results of many polls and published studies, my data shows men and older people are more likely to be conservative than women and younger people. While identifying as liberal seems to clearly negatively correlate with what I have labeled the Sectarian personality type in the MOTIVES typology, being liberal is a not really a cohesive personality drive like the Sectarian personality drive as demonstrated below by lots of personality items that score highly on the Sectarian personality factor, but not many on the Globalistic (liberal) personality factor. This may explain why conservatives have consistently better voter turnout because they are acting from a core personality drive, while 'liberals' are motivated by dislike or disinterest in conservative ideals or interest in ideas that are not, for various reasons, compatible with conservative values, i.e. a mix of other personality drives.

As you can see from the items below the conservative orientation is characterized by having a preference for a homogenous culture, preferably resembling test takers' own race and culture. Further, conservatives see their culture as superior and other cultures as problematic. In academic research this is referred to as in-group/out-group bias. Conservatives are more likely to endorse authoritarianism, religiosity, importance of law and order, property rights, capitalism, and male hegemony. The conservative value system seems to align with the values it took / takes to survive in a highly competitive more primitive tribal environment where war was / is a common option / solution. Like many personality traits, a middle preference may be more realistic for many in a world where internationalism is still relatively new as far as human organization and there probably isn't yet enough agreement on core values to sufficiently get along in harmony. In kind, a low preference on this trait seems unrealistic for the aforementioned reasons, and a high preference seems problematic too as that was the norm when the world was stuck in international warfare for half a century and of course the obvious genocidal tendencies of nationalism / ethnocentrism, which the data below indicates.

PLEASE NOTE: My demographic of test takers are younger (avg age 21.35) so the conservative items average scores are lower, and the liberal items higher than you would get in a truly representative sample but that doesn't affect the factor loading accuracy. I will be updating the list below with relevant new items as I find them, feel free to send me suggested items at the contact link below.

Sectarian average scores   (score key: very inaccurate 0 - 6 very accurate)

female 2.91
male    3.35
age 13-18 (sample size 90k) 3.19
age 19-25 (sample size 73k) 2.99
age 26-35 (sample size 21k) 2.98
age 36-45 (sample size 9.5k) 3.15
age 46-55 (sample size 3.5k) 3.33
age 56-65 (sample size 1.5k) 3.45
age >66    (sample size .5k) 3.53

item     avg_score / factor_score   (score key: very inaccurate 0 - 6 very accurate)
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I am a conservative. 1.7/700
I want my country to prioritize being dominant over other countries. 2.0/690
I have a lot of pride in my country. 2.3/690
I consider myself a patriot. 1.7/690
I consider myself a nationalist. 1.6/670
I prefer to vote for conservative/right-wing candidates. 1.7/670
I support increased military spending. 1.8/670
I need to defend the identity of my country not change it.1.6/670
The world should not adjust more than 5 percent for a 5 percent minority. 2.4/660
I think my country is better than other countries. 2.3/650
Patriotism is important. 2.1/640
I support extending my country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force. 2.0/640
My nation is exceptional. 2.3/640
Betrayal of one's country is the highest offense. 1.9/640
I am a traditionalist. 2.0/630
I value keeping my country strong. 2.6/630
Someone should be allowed to protect their property using whatever means necessary. 3.4/620
I'm willing to die in the defense of my country. 1.5/620
I am a nationalist. 1.7/620
The Covid-19 vaccine was rushed. 2.9/610
People have the right to defend their property with lethal force. 3.5/610
Each ethnic group should stay in its own place. 2.4/610
I don't like foreigners. 1.0/600
Hiearchy and inequality are natural. 2.9/600
My country comes first. 1.4/600
I probably wouldn't work well with a romantic partner who didn't like my conservative values. 2.7/610
From a biological perspective, there are only two sexes. 3.9/580
I probably wouldn't work well with a romantic partner who didn't like my traditional values. 3.1/570
Nations need to have a single unified identity. 2.25/570
Dying in defense of one's country is the highest honor. 2.0/570
The right to private property is sacred. 4.0/590
Disliking people from other countries isn't inherently wrong. 1.7/590
I rarely notice my emotional reactions. 1.7/580
Some amount of military service should be mandatory for everyone. 1.5/580
A police officer is justified in using deadly force when someone does not comply. 1.7/580
An attack on my country is an attack on me. 2.1/570
A successful culture sticks to what has worked in the past. 2.4/560
I'm devoted to my country. 2.0/560
I respect members of the military. 3.6/560
Homeland is everything. 2.2/560
Betrayal of one's country is wrong. 2.7/560
Corporate property rights are sacred. 2.5/550
Our responsibility to our fellow countrymen is of the utmost importance. 2.2/550
Our country will be less if people don't take on the obligations of citizenship. 3.2/550
People need to be kept in line. 3.7/550
Roughing people up is not something the police should get in trouble for. 1.6/550
Nothing is more noble than dying defending one's country. 2.1/550
When someone get's exploited, I tend to think it's their fault. 2.4/550
My country is a source of meaning for me. 1.5/550
Hierarchy is important. 2.5/540
More prisons is a good thing. 2.3/540
I think there's a best country. 2.4/540
Menial laborers should know their place. 1.9/540
Most people are out of shape because of not doing enough high intensity activity. 3.3/540
The government needs to be able to exert control. 2.9/530
The true way of life in my country is disappearing so fast. 2.9/530
A successful culture tends to stay with what has worked in the past. 2.8/530
I respect police officers. 2.8/530
Hierarchy is essential. 2.7/530
National pride is a good thing. 3.0/520
I would rather live in a country where people are more similar than different. 2.2/520
There are obligations to citizenship. 3.5/520
I think ruling with an iron fist is a good thing. 2.2/520
Nationalism is less problematic than globalism. 2.3/520
I will battle on the side of tradition. 2.2/520
I believe that we should be tough on crime. 3.6/510
I don't understand people that want to be surrounded by diversity. 1.7/510
Children need discipline. 4.1/510
Economic development is more important than the environment. 1.9/510
The old ways are better than the new ways. 2.2/510
Some cultures should be erased. 1.7/500
The more government resources others use the less I will get. 2.5/500
The power structure of a country should be as consolidated as possible. 2.8/500
I'm traditional. 2.2/500
The role of government is to protect the natural order. 2.7/500
I think individuals should be more responsible for their health care. 3.5/500
Traditional values are important to me. 2.8/500
Only the wealthy should be able to live in the nicest areas. 1.2/500
Men should run the world. 1.4/500
A person's lack of success is mostly because of that person's personal failures. 2.9/500
Each ethnic group should have its own place. 2.4/490
I don't understand people who get emotional. 3.7/490
Equality is overrated. 1.9/490
It is important for the government to have strong control over the behavior of it's citizens. 2.0/490
If even one law isn't enforced all other laws are endangered. 2.7/490
People are only comfortable with their own kind. 2.8/490
You can't be soft on crime. 3.3/480
The private sector should have more power than the public sector. 2.3/490
Disadvantaged groups don't need legal protections. 1.4/490
I want to go back to traditional society. 1.8/490
I support the death penalty. 3.2/480
Most bad things that happen to people are the victim's fault. 1.7/480
If some laws are not enforced all other laws are endangered. 3.25/480
I prefer capitalism as far as economic systems go. 2.7/480
Authoritarianism is a workable government model. 2.2/470
Low status people should know their place. 1.6/470
My country should spend less money on welfare programs. 1.9/470
Rule by force is a legitimate form of government. 2.0/470
It's very important for children to be obedient to their parents. 3.1/470
I live in the best country. 2.0/470
Lawless anarchy can quickly happen without a vigilant government 3.5/470
I want to live in a country that reflects my culture. 3.0/470
The upper class is the most important class of people. 1.5/470
I want my culture to be the dominant world culture. 1.6/470
The power structure of a country should be more consolidated than distributed. 2.4/470
I think a woman should take her husband's last name. 2.2/460
People should stick to their own. 3.0/460
Spanking children is an appropriate form of discipline. 1.9/460
Better to err on the side of putting too many people in prison than too few. 240/460
Some aspects of my country were better forty years ago. 2.7/460
Some aspects of my country were better in the past.
The government should have the power to decide what's right and wrong. 1.7/460
Most people are lazy and don't work hard unless they have to. 3.6/450
People should not be able to avoid their debts. 3.1/450
I think individuals should be far more responsible for their health care. 450/3.4
It is best to use some authorities to keep order and prevent chaos. 3.8/450
Some cultures are better than others. 2.9/450
You have to be hardened in this world. 4.2/450
You have to force people to behave correctly. 2.7/450
I wouldn't want to live in a world where there were no conservatives. 2.5/440
I am preoccupied with the threat of immigration. 1.1/450
The market should decide what things cost no matter how expensive that makes things. 1.9/440
Expecting to have some control over your romantic partner is normal. 3.1/440
I tend to have a negative view of people with mental illness. 1.2/440
There's nothing worse than appearing weak. 3.5/440
An eye for an eye is a good rule of law. 3.2/440
There's nothing worse than being weak. 3.5/440
I can understand why cops in many countries would extort money/bribes from tourists (I probably would too). 2.1/430
Physical punishment (such as spanking) is an appropriate way to discipline children. 3.2/430
I take my citizenship very seriously. 2.0/430
You can never be too aggressive in preserving order. 2.5/430
I value commerce more than art. 2.1/430
I support restrictions on labor unions. 2.2/430
I support the death penalty. 3.1/430
The government should have the power to defend what's right and wrong. 2.9/420
Tallness is a masculine quality. 2.9/420
I don't love countries that are very different from mine. 1.5/420
The role of government is to protect the natural/moral/religious order. 2.7/420
People should be assigned rewards based on how well they meet community standards. 2.3/420
My country's security is everything. 2.8/420 It's important to be capable of being violent. 3.6/420
People are lazy. 3.7/420
Religion is important. 2.6/420
The majority group should have more priviledges. 1.9/420
Family loyalty is more important than right and wrong. 2.3/410
If you are not strong, everyone will take advantage of you. 4.2/410
Wanting to have some control over your romantic partner is normal. 3.2/410
Poor people make me uncomfortable. 1.5/410
I find being traditional stimulating. 2.1/410
Companies should always do what's best for them even if it's bad for the world. 1.25/410
Things would be better if only ten percent of adults were allowed to vote. 2.0/410
There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect. 2.6/400
The eskimo culture's tradition of banishing members when they were no longer useful to the tribe is very sensible to me. 2.1/400
I value my nation's independence. 3.6/400
You can't let people behave however they want. 3.9/400
Freeloaders are very bad. 3.4/400
I tend to be unempathetic of people with mental illness. 1.5/400
It's important to stay true to one's roots. 3.3/400
Some lives are worth more than others. 2.6/400
I'm old school. 2.6/400
Older politicians are better suited to lead. 1.5/400
I prefer a world where everyone stays in their places. 2.5/400
I'd rather be a business person than a philosopher. 2.5/400
I'm more loyal to my sector of the world. 3.1/400
Differences should not be tolerated. 1.1/390
There are a lot of legitimate conspiracies the mainstream media avoids covering. 3.9/390
I would not date someone outside my culture. 1.4/380
I think about the future of my bloodline. 2.6/380
I don't think every adult should be able to vote. 3.4/380
Corporations should have more power than the government. 1.8/380
I want the government to enforce the traditions I agree with. 2.4/380
Violence must be met with violence. 3.1/380
Gated communities are a neccessity. 2.0/380
Freedom should have limits. 3.3/370
Too much tolerance is a vice. 3.6/370
I prefer to live somewhere where everyone is similar. 2.0/370
I'm interested in law enforcement. 1.9/370
You have to always be tough. 3.4/370
Religion is a source of meaning in my life. 1.4/370
Rank matters. 3.2/360
To get ahead in life you have to stomp on others. 2.4/360
Good fences make good neighbors. 3.3/360
I judge other cultures from the perspective of my own culture. 2.0/360
It's rude to speak a foreign language in public. .7/360
You protect your own. 4.5/360
I live like a soldier. 1.5/360
My heritage is important. 3.0/360
Life is basically one giant pageant / competition and the higher you rank the better off you are. 3.4/350
I don't like disturbances to the social order. 3.2/350
If you are strong, everyone is afraid of you. 2.9/350
Life is a brutal game of king of the hill. 3.6/350
I have little interest in abstract ideas. 2.2/350
The role of government is to protect the moral order. 3.0/350
I don't respect people who miss appointments. 2.7/350
I like to tinker with machines. 2.7/350
I am an authoritarian. 2.1/340
I would not want to live in a world with zero violence. 2.2/340
Police hiding / covering up internal corruption is understandable. 1.6/340
It's important to know how to extract as much money out of people as possible. 2.3/340
Business is war. 3.2/340
I have few artistic interests. 2.8/340
I have little creativity. 2.2/340
Justice is a meaningless pursuit. 2.1/340
I don't respect people who are not on time. 2.6/340
I prefer rule by the powerful to rule by democracy. 2.1/340
Might makes right. 2.3/340
Money garners respect. 3.3/340
Intellectuals are dangerous. 2.6/330
Hard work is more important than talent. 3.8/330
The game of life has a scoreboard. 2.8/330
I would fight violently in defense of my beliefs. 3.0/330
I like work that includes practical, hands-on problems and answers. 3.7/330
Right and wrong is a black and white issue. 2.2/330
I believe the best people achieve the greatest social status. 2.1/330
I am interested in a career in law enforcement. 1.6/330
I will defend my legacy. 3.3/330
I enjoy that there are still royal families. 2.0/320
My motto is never show weakness. 3.3/320
Happiness is derived from career growth. 2.7/320
The only thing worth believing in is cash/money. 2.2/320
Order needs to be followed. 3.1/320
You have to be willing to sacrifice others. 3.1/320 Finance is very interesting to me. 2.4/320
Everyone should not have an equal vote politically. 2.0/320
I like the country I live in. 3.1/320
You can only really be good allies to people who share your life path or have a complimentary one. 2.7/320
It's human nature that when someone is not like us, we tend to want to kill them. 2.0/320
I don't see myself ending up in a relationship with someone from a different culture. 1.7/320
I exploit more than I explore. 2.7/310
I would have no problem doing a job which involved firing people face to face. 2.5/310
It's important for me to think about the future generations of my family. 2.7/310
Conformity is overly demonized. 2.8/310
Self defense skills are very important to me. 3.6/310
I don't experience shame. 1.5/310
I believe in God. 2.3/300
One's exterior matters more than one's interior. 1.7/300
In the best countries, everyone has the same values. 2.4/300
I put my faith in institutions. 2.0/300
Power needs to be earned. 4.7/300
I have a home defense plan. 2.2/300
Nepotism is a good thing. 1.9/300
Favoring friends and family in who you would share power with if you had a lot, is the best strategy. 3.1/300
I understand the world is not fair, and I'm ok with that. 3.4/300
I believe there is truth in what others call 'conspiracy theories' more often than most people do. 3.1/300
My culture is important. 3.2/300
I'm anti birth control. .9/300
If you give an inch others will take much more. 4.2/300
I believe genetics determine how we end up. 2.8/290
Insulting someone's country is a serious matter. 2.7/290
It is important for citizens to rally behind common values. 3.4/290
We are in the midst of a culture war. 3.5/290
I despise people who can't control their emotions. 2.9/290
You can never have enough money. 3.8/290
Religion is important. 2.3/290
You can judge people by the way they look. 2.4/290
I think I'm probably more comfortable in war time than peace time. 1.8/290
Institutions are a necessary part of society. 3.6/290
I like fighting sports. 2.5/290
I'm fine with using others to achieve my own ends. 2.5/290
If my only path to a luxurious life resulted in everyone disliking me, I would still take that path. 2.5/290
What good are art and books to the hungry. 2.8/280
I'm not a big fan of women not wearing any makeup. 1.3/280
Being different is not a good thing. 1.4/280
Facts are more important than feelings. 3.5/280
Individual rights are more important than community rights. 3.4/280
Artists should cater their work to popular tastes. 1.4/280
I don't believe in PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). .7/280
I prefer to eat a high protein diet. 3.3/280
I believe that I am a product of my choices - not my circumstances. 3.6/280
If something hits you, you have to hit back. 3.8/280
A world with 10 countries would be better than a world with 100 countries. 2.5/280
I have fantasies of physical violence. 3.4/280
A 95% safe society with 10 percent of prisoners falsely imprisoned (i.e. innocent) is better than a 90% safe society with 5 percent of prisoners falsely imprisoned. 2.1/280
A certain amount of freedom must be sacrificed to maintain law and order. 3.6/270
I would probably make a better torturer than most people. 3.2/270
A parent should try to give their child every advantage over other children. 3.5/270
I tip less than 15 percent at restaurants. 2.8/270
Great artists should focus on making work that will be appreciated in their lifetime. 3.0/270
I complain when the service is bad. 2.3/270
Individual responsibility is more important than collective responsibility. 3.9/270
The more basic the better. 2.5/270
I care more about square footage than culture in selecting a city to live in. 2.2/270
More attractive people should be treated better. 1.55/260
People can't discipline themselves. 2.7/260
I majored in business in college or would like to. 1.9/260
Democracy is a flawed form of government. 2.9/260
Most people put their cultural group first. 3.7/260
Loyalty is everything to me. 4.5/260
I only want to live in a low crime area. 4.0/260
I believe that my safety is my responsibility. 4.3/260
If the only way I can get what I want is to take it from others against their will, then that's what I will do. 1.6/260
The key to happiness is daily soreness. 2.4/250
I use intimidation to get what I want. 2.3/240
Everything worth knowing we already know. 1.3/250
Having kids is everything. 1.7/230


I prefer to vote for liberal/left-wing candidates. 3.7/-620
My politics could be described as left leaning. 3.5/-580
I prefer to vote for progressive candidates. 3.4/-570
I support LGBTQ culture. 4.5/-550
I support transgender rights. 4.1/-540
Police shouldn't be able to use lethal force. 3.1/-510
Being weary of foreigners is wrong. 3.4/-490
No one should sacrifice themself for their country. 3.5/-470
I support multi ethnic culture. 4.7/-470
I respect the values and customs of other cultures. 4.7/-470
I am respectful of faiths that are not my own. 4.4/-460
If I had to vote I would tend to vote for a liberal candidate over a conservative one. 3.9/-450
Cultural diversity is important. 4.5/-450
I experience my emotions intensely. 3.2/-440
Racism is a problem. 5.1/-440
I prefer communism as far as economic systems go. 2.0/430
Cultural appropriation is not cool. 4.1/-420
Disability rights are important. 5.0/-400
Anti-war activism appeals to me. 2.8/-400
Regulations against environmental polution are important. 4.8/-400
The military budget in my country is too high. 3.3/-390
I like work that deals with the artistic side of things, such as acting, music, art, and design. 3.5/-360
I like to get lost in thought. 3.2/-350
Women should run the world. 1.9/-340
More money needs to go into the education system. 4.7/-330
I wouldn't want to live in a country that was intolerant to other cultures. 4.5/-320
Diversity is a strength. 4.4/-320
I like to read fiction, plays, poetry. 3.4/-300
I prefer electric cars to gas cars. 2.8/-290
Criminal justice reform is important. 4.4/-280
Money's not real. 2.4/-270
I believe in dividing resources fairly. 4.1/-270
Labor unions are important. 3.1/-260
Politicians are looking out for the best interests of people. 1.1/-250
I would like to work for a non-profit. 2.4/-240

*sample size of each item 5k-20k test takers