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Original Article

Explaining Political Polarization Over Abortion

The Role of Moral Values Among Conservatives

Published Online:July 27, 2023https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-9335/a000525

Abstract

Abstract. Why are antiabortion attitudes more prevalent among conservatives? We show that people who prioritize courage, deference to authority, and caring for kin are more likely to oppose abortion and that these associations are mediated by conservatism. However, group loyalty, which is usually associated with conservatism, surprisingly predicts proabortion attitudes. In two studies (N = 525), we disambiguate the effects of social dominance orientation and fusion from conservative ideology. These findings suggest that attitudes toward abortion are shaped by moral concerns that are then recruited by political ideologies. Understanding the relationships between morality and political ideology is crucial to managing the effects of divisive social issues on polarization.

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