In 2003, a study allegedly demonstrated that ‘conservatism is a syndrome characterized by rigidity, dogmatism, prejudice, and fear'—a slander undoubtedly dear to the hearts of nine out of ten social scientists. In 2010, another group of researchers returned to the original study’s data and combined it with more recent data of their own. They found almost no evidence of such a 'syndrome.’ Prejudice, fear, and dogmatism are pretty evenly distributed among conservatives and liberals alike. Here’s the kicker, though: Researchers have cited the older, anti-conservative study more than 1000 times in their own studies even since it was discredited in 2010. The second study has been cited a grand total of 60 times.