In the five-factor model of personality, conservatives tend to display a combination of two traits: lower openness and higher conscientiousness. In the most general way, Republicans aren’t likely to seek out novelty or to express curiosity about new experiences (with closet cases being the obvious exception). At the same time, they favor structure and order, and they don’t like surprises. Democrats are more open but also often less conscientious. This is in part why political debates often center around behavior and the locus of personal responsibility.
