Liberal or conservative: who decides? Trends in parents’ influence on their children’s political beliefs

September 7, 2012 — by Sierra Smith

Generally speaking, parents have a huge influence on their children’s day to day lives.  They have a say in what their children eat, when they eat, what classes they take, what TV shows they watch and when they watch them.

  Parents also have an influence on their children in more subtle way, such as shaping their political views.
“Obviously your parents political beliefs affect you a lot,” sophomore Morteza Rohaninejad said.
Rohaninejad, who has frequent political discussions with his family, is usually in the same range of the political spectrum as his parents and brother, junior Mostafa Rohaninejad. 
Yet, despite supporting the same party, Rohaninejad and his parents often have political disagreements.  
“We don’t necessarily share all of the same beliefs,” Rohaninejad said.  “[For example], our parents believe that the revolution [in Iran] should have happened.  My brother and I somewhat believe that it shouldn’t have happened.”
While most students agree that their parents influence their political beliefs, many are encouraged by their parents to think independently and maintain their own opinions.  
“I have a unique situation in which my dad refuses to share with me any of his political opinions so as not to influence mine,” senior Elyse Berlinberg said.  “While my mom will share her opinions if asked, my dad will not say a word about whom he is voting for or what he believes.”
Berlinberg, who had been frustrated by her dad’s restraint in political discussions when she was younger, has come to appreciate his decision to let her form her own opinions without his bias.
In Berlinberg’s family, political discussions are almost nonexistent, since political beliefs are considered private.  Yet, even with the absence of such debate in her home, Berlinberg recognizes a relationship between her parents’ views and her own.
“My parents influence me politically because of their careers,” Berlinberg said.  “My mother works for a school, and therefore money for education is very important to me. My father is a doctor, and therefore my opinions on health care and professional education are swayed.”
Similarly, for senior David Zarrin, family political discussions aren’t a usual occurrence.
“Politics aren’t incredibly prominent in my family, although we all make sure to keep up to date with ongoing events,” Zarrin said.
Zarrin’s entire family, however, supports the same political party. While Zarrin believes that his beliefs would have been the same without the influence of his parents, he still acknowledges a relationship between his parents beliefs and his own.
“My parents have raised me to be slightly liberal,  but I personally think I would be like this regardless of my parents' political position.  I don’t think that goes for everyone,” Zarrin said.
Although the presence of politics at home varies widely from family to family, there is definitely a connection between parents’ political beliefs and those of their children.  A survey done at Tufts University showed that 87.2 percent of people raised in a liberal environment developed a political liberal orientation.  The study also showed that about 70.7 percent of people raised in a conservative environment have conservative political beliefs as an adult.
"As much as we like to think as youths we decide what political stance we take in our world today, our parents do in fact play a major role in deciding where exactly we actually stand," Zarrin said.
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