At Biasly, we categorize political bias on our Bias Meter into nine distinct categories along a spectrum. Knowing and understanding your own biases will enhance your critical thinking anytime you come across information that may be biased and inaccurate. Sometimes we may perceive objective information as skewed towards one side because of our own biases or vice versa.

One way to better understand your own biases and political leanings is taking Biasly’s Political Bias Survey. It provides people with a bias score and category which they align with most, and where they line up on the spectrum. Biasly asks participants where they stand on a variety of issues with multiple answers (e.g., What role should the federal government play in healthcare?), and provides a score at the end. The scores on the spectrum range from -36 to 36, with -36 being the most liberal and 36 being the most conservative. These surveys ranges are different than our Bias Meter’s categories as shown below.

Bias Categories and Definitions

The bias categories from left to right are: Extremely Liberal, Very Liberal, Medium Liberal, Somewhat Liberal, Center, Somewhat Conservative, Medium Conservative, Very Conservative, and Extremely Conservative. We define each of these categories in the sections below.

Extremely Liberal

This is the most left-wing ideology on the spectrum. People who are extremely liberal hold the most left-wing position on nearly all or all topics. They usually advocate for ambitious, immediate, and drastic government intervention to solve the pressing issues of the day.

“We must immediately act to transition away from fossil fuels if we want to prevent climate catastrophe. The future of the planet is at stake!”

“We must dismantle systems of economic oppression and privilege, and build a world where everyone can have full equality.”

Both quotes indicate drastic and end-of-the-spectrum ideological leanings. They speak to a desire to dismantle the status quo. Incremental change isn’t good enough to achieve the ultimate goal.

Very Liberal

This group is the second most passionate voice among all the liberal groups. People who lean left on almost all topics will fall under this category. They want the government to have a role in solving the majority of issues. An example would be redistributing wealth to expand the welfare state, such as below:

“The government must raise taxes on billionaires and use the money to provide free healthcare and give to the poor.”

“It is incumbent that the federal government passes a new voting rights bill to end voter suppression. We must strengthen our democracy to prevent politicians from overriding the will of the people.

Both commentators believe the government is the best catalyst for bringing social change. The diction is not as aggressive as the Extremely Liberal who is more forceful. Overall, about half of people who identify as Very Liberal are satisfied with the Democratic Party and are the most engaged segment of the electorate.

Medium Liberal

The largest group on the left side of the spectrum are Medium Liberals. Whereas people who are Very Liberal are passionate and feel strongly about their stances, the Medium Liberal group tends to be in the medium or mainstream of the Democrat party. Therefore, they tend to support most of the mainstay ideologies that the Democrat party is for.  They don’t support extreme policy but mostly stick with more reasonable approaches in the policy leanings.

“We need to work on reducing income inequality in this country. Raising taxes on the wealthy could generate revenue to strengthen social programs for the poor.”

“We must prioritize comprehensive reform that provides a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and provide support for them along the way.”

Medium Liberals may hold similar positions to people further to their left but use a more reasonable, but firm tone. A reasonable but firm tone can better help build coalitions to win support and pass their agenda, while staying more firm on core principles of the party.

Somewhat Liberal

When someone is Somewhat Liberal, most of their views slightly lean left but they may hold limited conservative positions. Below are two examples of left-leaning positions with a moderate tone.

“I think we should consider reforming our immigration policies to allow some easier pathways to citizenship. Deporting all undocumented immigrants seems impractical.”

“While I believe that women have a right to an abortion, I do believe in restrictions past the point of viability unless the mother’s life is at risk.”

The first quote expressed openness to reforming the immigration system and providing a pathway from citizenship for the undocumented population. The second states a preference for legal abortion with some restrictions. These are liberal positions, but the more moderate tone keeps them from being Medium Liberal. Overall, this group is sometimes the least politically engaged group and the least likely to show strong support for the Democratic Party from those on the left.

Center

People who identify as moderate hold views that split pretty evenly between liberal and conservative topics. They are less likely to identify with either major political party compared to individuals who lean liberal or conservative. Moderates don’t hold strong positions on topics and may not want to take a stance at all. They also consider the perspectives of both sides when making decisions.

“I can understand why some people want to defund the police, but we should also listen to concerns from law enforcement groups before making major changes.”

“We need an education system that balances the interests of public education and school vouchers. Both systems have their benefits and drawbacks and going all-in on either will not help anyone.”

Centrists balance both sides when making statements such as the two above. They understand why some people would support a certain position but also consider the opposing arguments as well. They don’t believe one side as all the answers.

Somewhat Conservative

Most of the views of people who fall under Somewhat Conservative slightly lean conservative, but they may hold some left-leaning positions.

“While the United States has always been a nation of immigrants, we should not forget that we are a nation of laws as well. We should make our borders more secure as well as compassionately help people return to their homes.”

This statement emphasizes the need for border security, which conservatives frequently do when discussing immigration, but speaks about in a compassionate, moderate tone. These indicate somewhat conservative stances.

Medium Conservative

This group is typically the largest group on the right-leaning end of the spectrum. Medium Conservatives tend to hold many strongly conservative positions but emphasize concern about the gray area and unintended consequences of public policies. Their conservative agenda involves more incremental change than their Very and Extremely Conservative counterparts.

“I think we need to be careful about increasing government regulation of businesses. It could stifle innovation and hurt small businesses when taken too far.”

“While I believe that gender and sexuality identity should not be discussed in classrooms, I think the LBGQT+ community deserves the same fundamental rights and protections as all Americans.”

As with their Medium Liberal counterparts, Medium Conservatives believe and follow the mainstay policies and principles within the conservative movement but use a reasonable and firm tone. This allows for greater coalition building to win elections and pass their preferred policies. Most Republicans would fall under this group.

Very Conservative

This group is the most passionate voice among all the conservative groups. Almost all of their positions are conservative, ranging from easing government regulations to restricting abortion, and they are not afraid to voice their views. Sometimes they use language exclusive to conservative circles.

“We can’t let the government impose burdensome regulations that destroy free enterprise. All these socialist policies will hurt small businesses and put us into a recession.”

The person who made this comment speaks passionately against government regulations. However, they also use strong conservative language such as, “put us into a recession,” to get their message across. The comment reflects a person who is very conservative.

Extremely Conservative

The last group is Extremely Conservative. Virtually every or all political positions from this group are as conservative as they could be. They use strong, or even extreme language when making arguments, and are the most uncompromising compared to other conservative counterparts. The statements below exemplify an extreme conservative.

“We must lock down the border and send every single illegal immigrant back to where they came from. They are ripping off everyday Americans, bringing crime to our communities, and not paying taxes.

The person calls for the mass deportation of every undocumented person in the country. This position is extreme even for many conservatives, and can be more forceful.

Example Categories for Abortion

Below is an example of how one’s stance on abortion changes as you go from one end of the spectrum to the other: