Study on Lay Perceptions of Mental Control

Why do liberals and conservatives disagree so much about social justice? We study the possibility that they differ in how capable they think people are in controlling their own thoughts and emotions. For example, if someone is offended by micro aggressions, liberals might say we need policy to protect them, while conservatives would say it's their responsibility to not be offended. These different approaches may stem from a more basic difference in perceptions of the offended person's ability to control or suppress their thoughts.