Is Your Brain Liberal or Conservative?

[Amby 490]

The political differences between liberals and conservatives might run as deep as the brain, researchers suggest.

Scientists had previously found that some psychological traits were associated with certain political views. For instance, studies have shown that conservatives tend to be more sensitive to threatening faces, while liberals tend to be more open to new experiences. Political ideology has even been found to leave its footprint in how we set up our bedrooms and offices, with liberals' offices judged as significantly more distinctive, comfortable, stylish and colorful than conservatives' offices.

Cognitive neuroscientist Ryota Kanai of the University College London and his colleagues reasoned that such fundamental differences in personality might be seen in the brain. They scanned the brains of nearly 120 volunteers to investigate the idea.

The researchers found that volunteers who identified themselves as liberal tended to have a larger anterior cingulate cortex, a region of the brain linked with monitoring uncertainty, which could help them cope with conflicting information. On the other hand, those who identified themselves as conservative have a larger amygdala, an area linked with greater sensitivity to fear and disgust.

"Political attitude is often thought to be determined purely based on social context," Kanai told LiveScience. "Our research suggests that a high-level psychological trait such as political orientation might have a biological basis."

Kanai did caution against taking these findings too far, as there are many uncertainties about the associations the researchers saw. For instance, which came first — the brain structures or the political views? One might also note that brain structure can be shaped over time by experience, and that some people are known to change their views over the course of a lifetime. Past research has shown, for instance, that counter to stereotype, as people age, they become more liberal.

"It's very unlikely that actual political orientation is directly encoded in these brain regions," he said. "More work is needed to determine how these brain structures mediate the formation of political attitude."

In addition, political views can fall into many categories other than simply liberal and conservative.

"In principle, our research method can be applied to find brain structure differences in political dimensions other than the simplistic left- versus right-wingers," Kanai said.

Perhaps there are differences in the brain as to why some people seem to have no interest in politics at all, or why some people line up for Macs while others stick with their PCs. All of these tendencies might be linked in some way to peculiarities of our personalities and the way our brains are put together, the researchers speculated. (Related: Political Preference Is Half Genetic)

The scientists detailed their findings online April 7 in the journal Current Biology.

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/04/08/brain-scans-lean-left-right/?test=faces

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

What does the old pervert brain look like?

[Fandango 1,439]

We should ask certain sub-forum members to get tested so we can find out!

[Obama 2012 1,714]

let's ignore the fact that political ideology can change based on life experiences...

The things they describe in the article aren't 'conservative or liberal' either..

"""""The researchers found that volunteers who identified themselves as liberal tended to have a larger anterior cingulate cortex, a region of the brain linked with monitoring uncertainty, which could help them cope with conflicting information. On the other hand, those who identified themselves as conservative have a larger amygdala, an area linked with greater sensitivity to fear and disgust."""""""

That part can describe both ideologies equally, it just depends on the subject matter in which you are talking about.

[^_^ 5,021]

For instance, studies have shown that conservatives tend to be more sensitive to threatening faces, while liberals tend to be more open to new experiences.

I like those two things are juxtaposed as if they were opposites.

Not all threatening faces are new and not all new experiences are threatening.

[Fandango 1,439]

I like those two things are juxtaposed as if they were opposites.

Not all threatening faces are new and not all new experiences are threatening.

Shush, now that's just crazy talk.

[^_^ 5,021]

Like I doubt a liberal or conservative man would differ in the slightest if faced with a "new experience" that entails a strange but hot naked woman holding a coconut on a lovely beach somewhere in the caribbean.

Well ok the liberal man might question if she's there willingly or if she was ever abused but once those concerns were allayed I am sure there would be no difference.

Oh and the conservative man might actually find it extra-hot if she's from Russia (because we all have heard how the RUB ladies roll, reowww) but besides that.

Edited April 8, 2011 by \

[Amby 490]

I like those two things are juxtaposed as if they were opposites.

Not all threatening faces are new and not all new experiences are threatening.

That part of the article stood out to me the most

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Like I doubt a liberal or conservative man would differ in the slightest if faced with a "new experience" that entails a strange but hot naked woman holding a coconut on a lovely beach somewhere in the caribbean.

Well ok the liberal man might question if she's there willingly or if she was ever abused but once those concerns were allayed I am sure there would be no difference.

Oh and the conservative man might actually find it extra-hot if she's from Russia (because we all have heard how the RUB ladies roll, reowww) but besides that.

You had me at naked.

[^_^ 5,021]

You had me at naked.

So you don't care if it was a man or woman as long as he/she was naked?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

What does the old pervert brain look like?

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

[Ironman140 45]

That's a teenagers mind now and an old fart remembering when he was a teenager

Edited April 8, 2011 by Ironman140

[Amby 490]

it took me a second

[Zero Sum 305]

studies have shown that conservatives tend to be more sensitive to threatening faces, while liberals tend to be more open to new experiences.

Fear works on some people. Thinking works for others.

Amygdala = primitive, relfexes, devoid of thought.

Anterior cingulate cortex = thinking. Can be augmented in those that lack in its use.

A bit rough, but if I remember my neuro classes, maybe they're onto something.