Which science majors have the fewest conservatives?

College Life
#1

<p>Biology: The evolution might drive some of the conservatives out, but there are a lot of people who are med students and have the high conscientiousness + low openness combo that predisposes them to conservatism. Also I know christian conservatives who just choose to tolerate the evolution requirement. That being said, those who AREN'T med students are probably a lot more liberal (possibly the most liberal among them all). Especially the ecology ones.</p>

<p>Chemistry: Lots of people who want to go into the industries that pollute the environment and hate environmental regulations. On its own, that doesn't mean that one's conservative, but strong predisposition to one major conservative belief predisposes one to all the others (for some reason).</p>

<p>But theoretical chemists are probably more like the physicists/mathematicians in personality.</p>

<p>Physics: Might possibly have the fewest conservatives? Also, relative to other fields, people seem higher on openness (and it's more common to see low conscientiousness individuals excel; or people at least brag about having low conscientiousness). after all, for physics, you just need to do problem sets, and if you're smart (or have the instructors solutions manual, which is available now for all the physics textbooks up to the 3rd year), you can have an easy time in college or whatever.</p>

<p>Astronomy: It's the type of inapplicable research that almost demands high openness by definition. and it's the sort of research that conservatives would hate the most (since it has no application to real life at all)</p>

<p>Math: who knows.</p>

<p>Atmospheric Sciences: Has a lot of ROTC students for some reason. But the conservative students hate learning about global warming (which the professors all believe in).</p>

<p>Earth Science/Geology: Some people who want to work in oil companies/destroy the environment. But also has people in highly inapplicable fields - that almost demands high openness.</p>

<p>CS: who knows</p>

<p>the reason I'm including math/cs: well when categorized, math is often categorized as one of the sciences, even though it's technically on its own. after all, when you make categorizations, you don't want a department that's just by itself.</p>

#2

<p>What sparked this thread?</p>

#3

<p>Simple curiosity, really. I'm curious about the political attitudes that many people have</p>

<p>(although I've historically been judged A LOT by conservatives so I tend to avoid them). I'm not <em>gay</em> or anything like that, but the sorts of things I do are the things that are almost as bad as being "gay" (to a conservative, anyways).</p>

<p>yes i know that conservatives at top schools tend to be more tolerant but i'm not at a top school</p>

#4

<p>You say that you're judged a lot by conservatives? All of these ridiculous generalizations just prove you've got as many close-minded opinions as them. I'm saying this as a science major and one who is as liberal as they come too.</p>

#5

<p>
[quote]
You say that you're judged a lot by conservatives? All of these ridiculous generalizations just prove you've got as many close-minded opinions as them. I'm saying this as a science major and one who is as liberal as they come too.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I've been rejected so much that I HAVE to interact with people who are tolerant towards me. I CAN be very tolerant of conservatives and I've even tried to friend them but they always end up criticizing and hating me</p>

<p>PS: plenty of liberals are intolerant too (in fact, I'd wager that most are). It's just that conservatives are a lot more likely to be intolerant than liberals (at least towards the person I am). Just talk to a gay person who grew up in Texas. The amount of discrimination he faced was ENORMOUS.</p>

<p>I look for people who have low conscientiousness and high openness. that combo is rare in conservatives, but I do find conservatives with that combo interesting. But even they start to ignore me.</p>

<p>the decisions I make, in principle, are not much different from the decisions a gay person has to make</p>

#6

<p>you forgot anthropology.</p>

#7

<p>You do realize that green chemistry and those sorts of related fields are quickly growing and what a lot of chem students are interested in, right?</p>

#8

<p>I love the death penalty AND I believe in environmental stewardship. Wrap your mind around that :)</p>

#9

<p>OP, I mostly agree with your characterizations of the political views of the various natural/physical science majors. Although, are there really a lot of conservatives in atmos. sciences? </p>

<p>I'd also add that CS is primarily libertarian (what a nerdy political ideology).</p>

#10

<p>Yeah I agree with silence...</p>

<p>(I'm CS, and I'm libertarian. It probably has something to do with the correlation between the internet and the transfer of free information. And the fact that the internet is essentially an anarchy in regards to the fact that no one person controls it.)</p>

#11

<p>Does anyone else think this guy is either kidding or has a 2nd grade concept of science? Evolution is not some controversial idea that only biologists believe in...that would be like saying medicine is something only doctors believe in. Environmental awareness isn't something that only ecologists care about, many Biology, Geology and Chemistry fields toward advances in that field. Biology is one of the broadest fields that exists, it's divided into like 100 subfields, ecology is just one of them.</p>

<p>I would guess probably environmental science since on campus those students seem to be more politically-active. </p>

<p>I'm a biochemistry major, I wonder where I fall into your made-up political scale? Probably I take turns between polluting the environment and believing some guy put 2 of every animal on a boat and that's why animals exist, idk :P</p>

#12

<p>Science, Math, and Engineering majors, with the exception of environmental science all tend to be more conservative and libertarian leaning than other majors. This is because these majors are more business oriented, make more money, more male, whiter and indian-er, smarter, and less politically activist-filled.</p>

#13

<p>Yeah, but most libertarians are about as socially liberal as you can get. I don't think the OP would mind being around them. Religious conservatives, on the other hand, I could understand him wanting to avoid.</p>

<p>I would think physics has the most conservatives (absolutely guessing, though). Engineering also. In any other science major, I think you'll be around people who are mostly apolitical or liberal.</p>

<p>Edit: ^ Yes, someone agrees with my assumptions!</p>

#14

<p>
[quote]
You do realize that green chemistry and those sorts of related fields are quickly growing and what a lot of chem students are interested in, right?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Oh ok. Truth is that I don't know that much about chem majors. From what I know, I think the plurality of chem majors are really more into biochemistry (and there are also many who are simply curious about it). But that's limited information. I'd like the gaps filled in more. Chemical engineering is probably the field that attracts more of those who want to go into polluting industries, anyways.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Although, are there really a lot of conservatives in atmos. sciences?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Hm, my school might be an unusual case, but I really don't know if atmospheric science departments in other schools have a lot of ROTC students. </p>

<p><a href="I'm%20CS,%20and%20I'm%20libertarian.%20It%20probably%20has%20something%20to%20do%20with%20the%20correlation%20between%20the%20internet%20and%20the%20transfer%20of%20free%20information.%20And%20the%20fact%20that%20the%20internet%20is%20essentially%20an%20anarchy%20in%20regards%20to%20the%20fact%20that%20no%20one%20person%20controls%20it.">quote</a>

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Good point. I can definitely see that. </p>

<p>
[quote]
Does anyone else think this guy is either kidding or has a 2nd grade concept of science? Evolution is not some controversial idea that only biologists believe in...that would be like saying medicine is something only doctors believe in. Environmental awareness isn't something that only ecologists care about, many Biology, Geology and Chemistry fields toward advances in that field. Biology is one of the broadest fields that exists, it's divided into like 100 subfields, ecology is just one of them.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Well, it's just biology majors who have to learn evolution. And we know how resistant many people are to teaching their kids evolution...</p>

<p>==</p>

<p>PS: I'm actually more motivated by curiosity about political views (and how they interact with personality + major choice) than a desire to avoid people of certain political views. I suppose I just overreacted to the first and second replies. Sorry about that. I also understand that variation within groups is generally higher than variation in between groups. But between-group variation is still interesting.</p>

#15

<p>Conservatives who go to college aren't the same as conservatives who don't. Going by stereotypes, the one is the rich white guy and the other is the poor redneck so to speak. Just like for liberals, the college one is a hippy-intelligentsia-elitist while the non-college is a poor welfare minority.</p>

#16

<p>
[quote]
Chemical engineering is probably the field that attracts more of those who want to go into polluting industries, anyways.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Actually, I want to go into chemical engineering, and I consider myself pretty liberal. Chemical engineers also would like to go into solving the problems of the environment using chemistry. I'm a strong environmentalist and I would love to solve the problems using chemistry. I can't speak for everyone, but this is the thought of some chemical engineers.</p>

#17

<p>^ Yeah exactly: Chemical and Enviro Engineers are the ones making advances in alternative energy and making technology more energy-efficient, not the ecologists! I think people confuse Ecology and Environmentalism a lot. Ecologists study interacts of organisms in their environment (and obviously many of them are environmentalists), but Environmentalism is a political philosophy, not science. Whoever said ChemEngineers don't care about pollution and such is pretty far-off I'd say.
[quote]
Science, Math, and Engineering majors, with the exception of environmental science all tend to be more conservative and libertarian leaning than other majors. This is because these majors are more business oriented, make more money, more male, whiter and indian-er, smarter, and less politically activist-filled.

[/quote]
My experience has been the stark opposite lol. Science majors (maybe engineering is an exception) tend to attract the quirky oddball, often liberal types. I see more conservatives in fields like Business, Econ, sometimes Politics/pre-law, etc</p>

#18

<p>Here is my point of view, using varied classifications. (don't take this personally or anything, just what I've gathered from my experiences)</p>

<p>The Physical Scientists (ie. Chemistry, Biology, Physics) - Left of Center is the general consensus, however, liberals are not the overwhelming majority, and both sides are definitely represented well.</p>

<p>The Logicians (ie. Mathematics, C.S., and dare I say, Logical Philosophy, etc.) - From my experience, these people tend to be the libertarians or other third party ideologies because they all share roots in using free logical thinking to solve problems, create theories, axioms, proofs, and believe little in total control over anything.</p>

<p>The Engineers (Self-Explanatory) - Engineering is definitely Right of Center, however, much like the sciences, conservatives are not the overwhelming majority. Both sides are definitely well represented.</p>

<p>The Businessmen (Finance, Business, etc.) - Business is also very Right of Center, as one of the large calling points of the right is the continuation of pro-business lawmaking. This field I feel, is probably more right of center than Engineering, but liberals are not uncommon in some sectors of business (Tech Stocks in particular -- I'm looking at you Apple)</p>

<p>The Social Scientists (Psychology, Economics, etc.) - By far the most liberal out of all the groups listed here. [of course, if we had Liberal Arts, that would be a different story] This is probably the group of people with the largest sway to one political ideology. Conservatives in these fields do exist, but they aren't as common. (with the exception of Economics)</p>

<p>So, in summation, if we were to map these on a left-right political spectrum, they would come out in this order.</p>

<p>Social Scientists (Left Most) : Physical Scientists (Left of Center) : Engineers (Right of Center) : Businessmen (Right Most)</p>

<p>The Libertarian ideal doesn't really fit well onto a left-right political spectrum, as Libertarians are both social liberal (left traits) and advocates of laissez-faire economic systems (right traits), as well as anarchy.</p>

<p>In the end...
The right seeks economic freedom, and social restriction...
The left seeks social freedom, and economic restriction...
But libertarians seek total freedom.</p>

<p>And that is why the correct scale for measuring political alignment is on a double axis rather than a single axis. Much like the Nolan Chart (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nolan_chart%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nolan_chart&lt;/a&gt;), rather than a single axis spectrum.</p>

<p>[REMEMBER THIS IS ALL IN MY OPINION]</p>

#19

<p>
[quote]
Actually, I want to go into chemical engineering, and I consider myself pretty liberal. Chemical engineers also would like to go into solving the problems of the environment using chemistry. I'm a strong environmentalist and I would love to solve the problems using chemistry. I can't speak for everyone, but this is the thought of some chemical engineers.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Oh, thanks for your own example. Do there seem to be a lot of chemical engineering majors who dislike environmental regulations? I mean, the disregard for environmental regulations that many companies have must come from somewhere. But it may be more to do with management than with what the scientists do. After all, it's the management that really nets profits from polluting industries.</p>

<p>
[quote]
^ Yeah exactly: Chemical and Enviro Engineers are the ones making advances in alternative energy and making technology more energy-efficient, not the ecologists! I think people confuse Ecology and Environmentalism a lot. Ecologists study interacts of organisms in their environment (and obviously many of them are environmentalists), but Environmentalism is a political philosophy, not science. Whoever said ChemEngineers don't care about pollution and such is pretty far-off I'd say.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Okay good point. I didn't say that they didn't care about pollution, but I apologize if my post implied it. Most educated people seem to be more concerned about it than less educated people. It's true that chemistry is changing in that direction though. And a lot of the professors (who are generally left of center to begin with) probably encourage it. </p>

<p>==</p>

<p>Veracity, pretty much right on. Although generally, mathematicians/logicians don't tend to be libertarian. The mathematics you study in the undergrad level tends to be quite rigid, anyways, and rigidity (and certainty) tends to appeal more to conservative personalities.</p>

<p>==
With CS majors, though, I don't think most are libertarian. They definitely have a very vocal libertarian contingent, that's true (more than most majors). But I think that's still the minority. People who are apathetic/don't care much tend to be quite common in engineering/science though.</p>

#20

<p>When referring to the Logician types I was referring to the more pure and abstract fields of mathematics. (ie. All of the proof building, axiomatic fields where there really aren't defined answers)</p>

<p>When referring to Applied Mathematicians, I'd probably filter them in with the Engineers, as they essentially use mathematics in the same way as the Engineers do. And that is to solve practical problems.</p>

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