Hey Larni.
Crazy, just plain crazy. And sad, too.
Cognitive dissonance at its finest.
Is it then pointless arguing with right wing people because any evidence that is presented that is counter to their beliefs will actually strengthen them?
Yes, I think, up to a point. Like the study says, it depends upon where an individual lies on the scale of conservativity, regardless of intelligence, it seems. I'd assume, if given two people of the same level of conservatism but differing levels of education and/or intelligence, the more highly educated individual would be found to reject prior convictions versus his counterpart. In general, at least.
As I'm sure we've all seen (in this forum as well as in real life), rationality and reason seems to fall by the wayside in this, ah,
subset of society. Pity.
Have a good one.