“Busting Myth, People Turn More Liberal With Age” LiveScience

[jody]

Busting Myth, People Turn More Liberal With Age
By comparing surveys of various age groups taken over a span of more than 30 years, sociologists found that in general, Americans' opinions veer toward the liberal as they grow older.

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Danigelis and collaborators Stephen Cutler of the University of Vermont and Melissa Hardy of Pennsylvania State University analyzed data from the U.S. General Social Surveys of 46,510 Americans between 1972 and 2004. While the surveys did not provide data for the same individuals at different stages, they represented snapshots of the changing attitudes of respondents in different age cohorts over time. The researchers corrected for the fact that the age groups at different survey times are made of up new members with unique baseline opinions.

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"The assumption that older voters are stuck their ways of thinking or are likely to go with a conservative candidate and are not open to new information — I think there's a lot of information to suggest that that’s not going to happen," he said.

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"Age will be an issue in the campaign, as will race and gender, which is unfortunate," Danigelis said. "Maybe this is the campaign to knock down a bunch of stereotypes."

[DJ13]

1. Does that mean older people believe HC is more liberal than BO?

The researchers forgot to factor in senility.

[jody]

3. Interesting point that young people could be senile. n/t

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

2. Some learn from experience, some don't, I like Obama, 66 yrs old.

[jody]

4. Does that mean you didn't learn from experience? n/t

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

6. It means that once your burnt by the Republicans you shouldn't

go back for more, uhh more what? uhh what was the question? who's running? from what?

[jody]

8. Beats me, I'm a Yellow Dog Democrat, have been all my life and will die one.

[WyLoochka]

5. These sweeping broad brushes

that come out of exit polls drive me buggy. We had plenty of older white folks at our caucus in Wyoming Saturday. I hazard a guestimate that around 30% were 60+ - wish I knew for sure. People were remarking frequently on how many oldsters turned out, so it's not just a lone observation.

Of those, between half and two thirds voted for Obama. It wasn't required to write whom one supported on the registration sheet, but most people did any way, as there was a column provided to write one's preference. So everyone could easily see that Obama was getting a larger share of the oldsters votes as we went along with checking them in.

Our Obama seconding speech was given by an 84 year old woman.

[jody]

7. I said primaries not caucuses as Wyoming had. IMO a sample of voters from a primary is more

statistically valid than a sample from those who attend a caucus that can be stacked for a candidate.

[Perry Logan]

9. Makes sense. As the years go by, it becomes increasingly obvious that conservatism is bullshit.

[JoFerret]

10. No.

(Although the oldest people I know - male and female - are Obama supporters)

It is also true - apparently - that as they age into middle middle age and beyond - that men become more like women and vice versa in terms of attitudes and functioning. (i.e to simplify and stereotype - men become more compassionate and empathetic and women become more assertive)