Hovering at the Polls: Do Helicopter Parents Prefer Paternalistic Political Policies?

Lakoff's model of political ideology proposes people's beliefs about how government should operate are grounded in beliefs about how families should operate. Previous research shows the left-right political spectrum can be explained by differences in preferences for nurturant (Democrats) and disciplinarian (Republican) parenting styles. We extend the theory to another dimension, helicopter versus free range parenting styles. In Study 1, we find parenting attitudes strongly predict paternalistic policy attitudes-more than ideology, party identity, or any other measured demographic variables. In Study 2, we attempt to establish a causal link, but find manipulating preferences for helicopter parenting does not influence policy preferences as Lakoff's model would suggest. In Study 3, we identify a latent variable that predicts preferences for paternalism in parenting, policy, and a host of other domains such as business, medicine, and education. We discuss implications for Lakoff's theory, the political psychology of libertarianism/paternalism, and society at large.