Francesco Rigoli, a member of the Global Disorder research group, has published a new article in the International Social Science Journal titled “Neuroticism Is Linked With Liberal Ideology in Young, but not Old, People in the United States.”

The study explores why younger Americans tend to be more liberal than older generations.

The study proposes a Generational Hypothesis: younger cohorts, raised in a more competitive and precarious era marked by rising inequality, intense educational pressure, and declining social support, have become more neurotic than older generations. This heightened neuroticism, the author argues, makes them more likely to sympathize with left-leaning ideas that emphasize protection, inclusion, and social welfare.

The research finds that neuroticism predicts liberal attitudes among younger adults but not among older ones. When the same tests are run in other countries, the pattern disappears, suggesting that the effect is rooted in the unique social and economic conditions shaping young Americans, not a universal age effect.

You can find the full article here.