Skip to main content
Log in

RESEARCH linked Trump support to lower affective empathy (concern for suffering) and higher dissonant empathy (enjoyment of suffering)

    Administrator
    By Administrator

    [QUERY]

    A study of 9,000+ Americans found Trump supporters scored higher on psychopathy, narcissism and manipulativeness. They also reported less concern for others’ suffering and more enjoyment of it.

    Even worse: they could read other people’s emotions just fine. They just seemed to care less.

    A political movement that celebrates the cruelty of ICE and the IDF? Who would have guessed?

    Published in the Journal of Research in Personality.

    [RESPONSE; MUSKIAN RIGHT WING GROK] 

    - A 2025 study in the Journal of Research in Personality, based on two U.S. samples totaling over 9,000 adults, found self-reported favorable views of Trump and conservative ideology correlated with higher scores on malevolent traits including psychopathy, narcissism, Machiavellianism, callousness, and manipulativeness.
    - The research by Neumann and Ngo also linked Trump support to lower affective empathy (concern for suffering) and higher dissonant empathy (enjoyment of suffering), while cognitive empathy (reading emotions) remained comparable; associations were stronger among men and held after controlling for demographics.
     

    Comments

    NoticeLog in

    Your need to be logged in to be able to comment.

      • Administrator
        By AdministratorComment by owner

        [CO-PILOT RESPONSE]

        The claim you posted appears to be referring to a real peer-reviewed study by psychologist Craig Neumann and colleagues that was published in the Journal of Research in Personality. According to reports summarizing the paper, the researchers analyzed data from more than 9,000 U.S. adults and found that favorable views of Donald Trump were associated with higher scores on measures of psychopathy, narcissism, manipulativeness, and callousness, along with lower levels of affective empathy. The study also reported higher levels of "dissonant empathy," meaning a greater tendency to report enjoyment of others' suffering. [psypost.org], [thedailyjagran.com]

        One of the more striking findings reported in summaries of the research is that the pattern was not simply an inability to understand other people's emotions. Rather, the association appeared to involve lower concern for others' suffering despite the capacity to recognize emotions. [psypost.org], [zmescience.com]

        That said, a few important caveats matter:

        • The study found correlations, not proof that Trump support causes these personality traits or vice versa. [psypost.org], [thedailyjagran.com]
        • The findings concern statistical tendencies across a sample, not every individual Trump supporter. The researchers themselves reportedly noted that not all conservatives fit this pattern. [moneycontrol.com], [thedailyjagran.com]
        • Political psychology research is often contentious because personality traits, ideology, identity, and social circumstances can all interact in complex ways. That means the results should be interpreted as evidence of an observed association, not a blanket judgment about millions of people.

        As for your rhetorical point about attitudes toward ICE or the IDF, that's a separate political argument. The study itself, as described in the available reports, examined personality traits, empathy, political ideology, and favorability toward Trump. It did not test support for ICE or the IDF. [psypost.org], [thedailyjagran.com]

        So the short answer is: the study appears to exist, it involved over 9,000 Americans, and the summaries of the published findings largely match the description in your post. [psypost.org], [zmescience.com]

        • Administrator
          By AdministratorComment by owner

          [GOOGLE RESPONSE] 

           
          A July 2025 study published in the Journal of Research in Personality did find a statistical correlation between favourable views of Donald Trump and higher scores on malevolent personality traits, including psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism. [1, 2]
          The peer-reviewed paper, titled "Malevolent vs. benevolent dispositions and conservative political ideology in the Trump era," examined data from two large surveys of over 9,000 U.S. adults. [1]
           
          Key Findings of the Study
          According to the published research, individuals who reported strong support for Trump and conservative political ideology exhibited distinct psychological and empathy profiles:

          • Personality Dispositions: Higher support for Trump correlated with elevated levels of "malevolent dispositions" (such as callousness, manipulation, and narcissism). Conversely, individuals scoring higher on "benevolent dispositions"—such as humanism and faith in humanity—tended to hold liberal views and oppose Trump. [1, 2, 3]

          • The Empathy Distinction: The study distinguished between different types of empathy:

            • Affective Empathy: Trump supporters reported lower levels of emotional concern for the suffering of others.

            • Dissonant Empathy: Supporters exhibited higher levels of experiencing indifference or enjoyment regarding others' distress.

            • Cognitive Empathy: Consistent with your mention, the researchers found that cognitive empathy—the capacity to recognize and understand what another person is feeling—remained intact across political lines. [1]

           
          Demographic Nuances
          The authors noted that these personality patterns were not uniform across all groups: [1]

          • Gender and Race: The link between psychopathic traits and support for Trump/conservative ideology was strongest among White men.

          • Minority Groups: Among men of minority status, psychopathic traits did not statistically predict political ideology or alignment. [1]

          While the study establishes a dimensional correlation between these specific personality variables and political alignment during the Trump era, the researchers emphasize that these traits exist on a spectrum across the general population rather than neatly categorising individuals as entirely malevolent or benevolent. [1, 2]