Politics may not be the only thing separating Republicans and Democrats. A new study suggests conservatives are less likely to choose generic drugs over brand-name meds than liberals, perhaps reflecting underlying assumptions about risks and benefits.
The study, published in the journal Psychological Science, is based on an analysis of weekly sales data from hundreds of supermarkets across the United States by New York University Stern School of Business researchers.
The results showed the market share for a wide variety of generic products was lower in more conservative counties than in more liberal counties.
"These tendencies are consistent with traits typically associated with conservatism, such as aversion to risk, skepticism about new experiences, and a general preference for tradition, convention, and the status quo," the authors write.
Researcher Vishal Singh and colleagues said they conducted the study to determine whether conservatives’ tendency to prefer tradition and convention would be reflected in their purchasing behavior, leading them to choose established name-brand products over generic brands or new products.
The researchers analyzed weekly sales data from more than 1,800 U.S. supermarkets from 2001 to 2006. Using data on voting history and religiosity — factors independently correlated with conservative values — they calculated the level of conservatism in each county.
After accounting for income and education, the researchers found the market share for a wide variety of generic products was lower in more conservative counties than in liberal ones. Trials of newly launched products was also lower in more conservative counties.
Researchers said the findings suggest that conservative ideology may be associated with reliance on established national brands.
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