Sources suggesting the left is more open minded than the right
Executive summary
Multiple peer‑reviewed studies and academic summaries link measures of “actively open‑minded thinking” (AOT) or self‑reported open‑mindedness with liberal or left‑of‑center ideology in some samples, but other research finds the association shrinking or conditional — and several studies show AOT reduces factual inaccuracy across both sides or acts as a moderator rather than a fixed partisan trait [1] [2] [3] [4]. Coverage is mixed: some work reports liberals score higher on certain open‑mindedness scales [1] [2], while other studies emphasize that open‑minded thinking protects against errors for right‑wing adherents or that left and right have become more similar over time [3] [4].
1. What researchers mean by “open‑mindedness” and AOT
Scholars typically operationalize open‑mindedness as a cognitive disposition measured by instruments like the Active Open‑Minded Thinking (AOT) scale — a set of standards for reasoning that includes willingness to revise beliefs and consider opposing evidence — and link it to rational belief and action in multiple domains [1] [5]. Reviews and methodological work treat AOT as a measurable thinking style, distinct from simple political identity [1] [6].
2. Evidence that the left scores higher on some open‑mindedness measures
Several empirical papers and summaries report correlations between AOT (or self‑reported openness) and liberal ideology: at least one recent article finds AOT correlates with liberal ideology but argues AOT is not merely a proxy for being liberal, suggesting an observed association but not identity equivalence [1]. University of Nevada, Reno reporting cites multiple studies finding conservatives more likely to self‑report closed‑mindedness, and liberals more likely to report open‑minded attitudes [2].
3. Evidence complicating a simple “left = more open‑minded” claim
Other peer‑reviewed work shows nuance: a multi‑study paper found that an open‑minded thinking style can act as a buffer against inaccurate factual beliefs particularly among right‑wing adherents — implying open‑mindedness can reduce right‑wing factual errors and is not solely a left‑leaning advantage [3]. Additionally, research tracking changes over time reports that left and right have grown more alike regarding closed‑mindedness, which challenges claims of a stable large gap between ideologies [4].
4. Differences in methods and what drives divergent findings
Studies use different measures (self‑report AOT scales, experimental tasks, accuracy of factual beliefs), populations (national samples, country‑specific studies like Poland), and time frames. One line of work gauges attitudes and reputational costs of openness in polarized contexts and finds social penalties for appearing receptive to opponents — a social force that can suppress open‑minded behavior regardless of measured dispositions [7]. These methodological differences explain why some studies show partisan gaps and others show moderation or convergence [1] [3] [7].
5. What the literature says about causality and interpretation
Available sources indicate correlation but do not establish that left ideology causes higher open‑mindedness; in fact, at least one article explicitly argues AOT is not merely a proxy for liberal worldview, pointing to overlapping but distinct constructs [1]. Another study treats open‑minded thinking as a moderator of factual accuracy rather than as a partisan trait, which reframes the question from “who is more open‑minded?” to “when does open‑mindedness improve accuracy?” [3].
6. Competing perspectives and implicit agendas to watch for
Some academic summaries and university press accounts emphasize partisan differences (which can bolster narratives that one side is intellectually superior), while methodological papers caution against overreading correlations and point to convergence over time [2] [4]. Experimental and applied research on AOT treats it as an intervention target — suggesting an agenda toward training reasoning skills rather than using findings to rank political groups [5] [6].
7. Practical takeaways for readers
If you seek straightforward evidence that “the left is more open‑minded,” current reporting shows qualified support on some scales but no unanimous or causal verdict: AOT correlates with liberal ideology in some studies, yet AOT also reduces misperceptions among right‑wing participants and left/right differences have narrowed in other work [1] [3] [4]. For claims about which side is “more open‑minded,” the nuance in measurement, sample, and social context matters more than partisan labels.
Limitations: available sources do not mention large‑scale, representative longitudinal tracking across many countries that would definitively settle whether one side is consistently more open‑minded across time and contexts; the cited studies come from specific samples and research programs [1] [3] [4].