Physically strong men are more likely to hold right wing political views because they believe society should be geared to personal struggle and self-preservation, an academic study claims.
Researchers cite muscle-bound Hollywood action heroes like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chuck Norris and Sylvester Stallone as evidence that aggression is linked to conservative politics.
And it may all stem from the hunter-gatherer instincts of macho men – which are a hangover of out cavemen origins when the strongest ruled the roost.
The ultimate example is Schwarzenegger who went from muscular action hero to Republican governor of California, the experts say.
Researchers from Griffith University in Australia said the Hollywood examples were typical of a phenomenon among modern men with an aggressive side.
They tend to build up their upper body strength and become subconsciously obsessed with their fighting ability, they told the journal Human Nature.
Lead researcher Aaron Sell said men were ‘designed for fighting’ and the tougher they are, the more this influences their behaviour and attitudes.
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