Physiological responses and political behavior: Three reproductions using a novel dataset

One of the most provocative recent findings in our understanding of political behavior is the link between physiological responses to environmental stimuli and political attitudes and behavior. This line of research holds much promise in explaining some of the foundational evolutionary origins of basic political orientations. Much of this recent research focused specifically on skin conductance response to threatening and disgusting stimuli, however, is based on analyses of a data collection sample of approximately 200 study participants drawn from the same community at a single point in time. Herein we attempt to reproduce many of the basic findings of recent research on skin conductance response and political behavior using data collected from a novel and unique dataset in a different context. In brief, we fail to reproduce many of the basic findings from this incipient line of research which suggests that the link between skin conductance and political behavior may be more contingent than previously assumed.