Shock Study? Exposure to American Flag Only Boosts GOP

See a flag and you're likely to vote Republican. And not only today - it has sticking power that lasts into future generations.

No wonder liberals like to burn flags!

A new study found that even a brief exposure to an American flag shifts voters to Republican beliefs, attitudes and voting behavior.
Via US News and World Report:

Just a brief exposure to an image of the American flag shifts voters, even Democrats, to Republican beliefs, attitudes and voting behavior even though most don’t believe it will impact their politics, according to a new two-year study just published in the scholarly Psychological Science.

What’s more, according to three authors from the University Chicago, Cornell University and Hebrew University, the impact had staying power.

“A single exposure to an American flag resulted in a significant increase in participants’ Republican voting intentions, voting behavior, political beliefs, and implicit and explicit attitudes, with some effects lasting 8 months,” the study found. “These results constitute the first evidence that nonconscious priming effects from exposure to a national flag can bias the citizenry toward one political party and can have considerable durability.”

Theirs is the first study to look at the political impact on Americans who have seen an American flag, and it seems to back up another recent Harvard University professor’s study that found that kids who attended a July 4th parade ended up leaning Republican when they grew up.

It’s also sure to prompt GOP presidential candidates to add more U.S. flags at their events and speeches.

Flag

reply to post by mishigas


If that's the case than with all the flags around the GOP ought to be getting the same voting percentages as Stalin or Mao did. Since that's not happening, thank the Gods!, I'd say there is a flaw somewhere in this study.

You know, I've never understood the whole thing with the American flag. While every country has it's flag there are not too many who seem to worship it as Americans do. North Koreans and the Chinese maybe, and looking back in history the Nazi's had an iconic flag - you'd think America would do it's best to avoid having that comparison made.

It's bloody everywhere - in every American movie I've seen they manage to jam an image of some hero standing in front of an American flag - usually in slow-motion to increase the 'meaning' of it. It's truly gag-worthy to anyone looking in from the outside. All I see is a symbol of a tyrannous empire forcing it's culture and patriotism on the rest of the world and telling us to lump it when we complain.

Anyways, if this article is true it just goes to prove how many people have been thoroughly indoctrinated by state propaganda - the fact that looking at a flag can influence who you vote for is crystal clear evidence of this. I mean who cares if the person is advocating mass slaughter or an intergalactic war with the flying spagetti monster - as long as they stand by the beloved 'Stars and Stripes' right?

No flaw, yes propaganda.
Plant a seed...plant another seed....fertilise it a bit....watch it grow.

The flag is/was a symbol of pride for many Americans.
And it will still be a rallying symbol for any potential revolution.
A nations ideology must be stripped in order to effect "change"....

I hope that most Americans can see through this.

reply to post by Kryties


Americans don't WORSHIP the flag.. That statement tells me that you do not understand it's meaning for most Americans. Or at least what it meant to us at one time.

reply to post by mishigas


How many Amrican Flags were being waved by Barack Obama supporters during his run up to the White House. Didn't seem to sway the voters opinion there.

reply to post by WhoKnows100


Could have fooled me. The way Americans flock to their flag and dote over it is reminiscent of seeing religious crowds worship their gods. Why put it everywhere? Why get so defensive over it when it is questioned? Americans have a deep emotional attachment to the flag that, in my opinion, is unhealthy to say the least.

reply to post by Kryties

You know, I've never understood the whole thing with the American flag. While every country has it's flag there are not too many who seem to worship it as Americans do. North Koreans and the Chinese maybe, and looking back in history the Nazi's had an iconic flag - you'd think America would do it's best to avoid having that comparison made.

Replace the word "worship" with the word "respect" and maybe you'll begin to get a better understanding of what the flag means to us.

And only an America Hater would use Mao, Nazis, and NK's as equivalent examples. That tells me that the rest of your post will be full of more anti-American vitriol and propaganda.

If I had to guess, I'd say that your own nation has nothing to be proud of, and that you live in a very repressed society and frame of mind. Someplace like Britain, for example.

Originally posted by mishigas
reply to post by Kryties

 

You know, I've never understood the whole thing with the American flag. While every country has it's flag there are not too many who seem to worship it as Americans do. North Koreans and the Chinese maybe, and looking back in history the Nazi's had an iconic flag - you'd think America would do it's best to avoid having that comparison made.

Replace the word "worship" with the word "respect" and maybe you'll begin to get a better understanding of what the flag means to us.

And only an America Hater would use Mao, Nazis, and NK's as equivalent examples. That tells me that the rest of your post will be full of more anti-American vitriol and propaganda.

If I had to guess, I'd say that your own nation has nothing to be proud of, and that you live in a very repressed society and frame of mind. Someplace like Britain, for example.

Britain is probably not a good example... They are far more open than us..... Less prudish about the things that so many Americans seem to find so controversial.

Just saying... I agree with you, but Britain is not a good country to use as an example..... :/

Originally posted by mishigas
reply to post by Kryties

 

You know, I've never understood the whole thing with the American flag. While every country has it's flag there are not too many who seem to worship it as Americans do. North Koreans and the Chinese maybe, and looking back in history the Nazi's had an iconic flag - you'd think America would do it's best to avoid having that comparison made.

Replace the word "worship" with the word "respect" and maybe you'll begin to get a better understanding of what the flag means to us.

And only an America Hater would use Mao, Nazis, and NK's as equivalent examples. That tells me that the rest of your post will be full of more anti-American vitriol and propaganda.

If I had to guess, I'd say that your own nation has nothing to be proud of, and that you live in a very repressed society and frame of mind. Someplace like Britain, for example.

LOL, I was literally counting the short minutes before someone came out and called me an "America-hater". That catchphrase is so tired and old now I'm surprised you still attempt to use it.

As to the "worship" vs "respect" - name one other country that makes use of their flag in just about every aspect of their daily lives like America does - with exception to those I named previously. You can't.

And I'm Aussie - hardly repressed and plenty to be proud of - we just don't paste the Aussie flag on everything to prove it.

Awaiting the inevitable jibe about my country that seems so predictable from the types who throw out punchlines like "America-hater".....

"I pledge alligence TO THE FLAG of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands . . ."
How's that for an answer. You don't like it, move somewhere else.

reply to post by amaster


So you pledge your allegiance to a piece of material?

Tell you what, I pledge allegiance to toilet paper. All Hail the Great Toilet Paper....hereby known as The Almighty Dunny-Wipes.....

Bloody ridiculous.

reply to post by mishigas


So, basically American voters seem to be infused with a bizarre pavlovian response. Rational thought is subsumed by impulse when presented with a particular image - in this case, the US Flag - and htye get yanked towards a certain alternate mindset.

I dunno, Mishigas; I think the guy likening it to the Nazi's flag rallies has a point. Not that the US is full of Nazis or something (that's a topic for a different thread) but simply because of the apparent knee-jerk reaction it causes, the mindless shift in political thought.

Now, perhaps you think this is awesome - after all, it makes people impulse-shop inyour direction - but when you get to thinking about it, it's more bizarre than anything.

Originally posted by Kryties
reply to post by amaster

 

So you pledge your allegiance to a piece of material?

Tell you what, I pledge allegiance to toilet paper. All Hail the Great Toilet Paper....hereby known as The Almighty Dunny-Wipes.....

Bloody ridiculous.

edit on 21/7/2011 by Kryties because: Spelling

You said you're from Australia, right? So what difference does it make to you how we treat our flag. If you don't like seeing it in American made movies, don't watch them. If you don't like seeing it on American made products, don't buy them. No one is forcing it down your throat.

reply to post by mishigas


I saw this story on of course FOX News yesterday.

And a child who attends at least one forth of July celebration in their youth is more likely to grow up and vote Republican.

Actually this explains a lot I wonder about the party. Why do people join, for example?
Now I know.
Someone hypnotized them with a flag as children and it stuck in their malleable little heads. Interesting.

But I have to ask you, how is knowing how incredibly easily you can be manipulated... good news?

When I see the American flag I have to fight the urge to join a crowd of people and chant USA, USA, USA, incessantly. And I'm not an American!

reply to post by amaster


By putting it in our faces 24 hours a day you are forcing it on us. Ignore it how? It's bloody everywhere.

The very fact that you cannot see the indoctrination evident in the OP is proof that you have succumbed to it's influence. I stand by my conclusion that it is reminiscent of the Nazi's use of their flag and will not be swayed by attempts to call me an "America-hater" or paint me as some sort of enemy of Americans.

I feel sorry for you, don't you get that? I also feel anger, simply because when America sneezes the rest of the world feels it and is told to lump it and not complain - or risk being called an "America-hater" by bright sparks like certain people in this thread.

reply to post by mishigas

And I see progressives banning the flag in 5. .4. . .3. .

reply to post by TheWalkingFox


Oh come on, that “study” is clearly left wing propaganda BS. Go to any political campaign, left or right, and you’ll see equal amounts of flag waving. You’re going to tell me that those at a democratic rally will be swayed to vote republican because of that exposure? I think not. A persons political leanings have nothing to do with the flag, and seriously, if a persons opinion is that easily diverted, then their mind has already been melted

Originally posted by newcovenant
And a child who attends at least one forth of July celebration in their youth is more likely to grow up and vote Republican.

I'd be curious on the methodology of this study. 'Cause, I'm a socialist, and i live in hairy hippy liberal central, and the fourth of July lasts three days here. I'd wager pretty much every kid in the US has celebrated the 4th. Saying this leads to Republican voting would seem, at the surface, to simply be a FOX news attempt to bolster waning GOP support; either an attempt to say there are tons more Republican voters than the polls reflect, or that anyone who's not voting Republican is some woods-dwelling America-hating hermit who never shot a bottle rocket as a kid.