Study: Conservatives' brains make the more anxious, less optimistic - Polidicks

[url]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/8228192/Political-views-hard-wired-into-your-brain.html[/url] [release] Scientists have found that people with conservative views have brains with larger amygdalas, almond shaped areas in the centre of the brain often associated with anxiety and emotions. On the otherhand, they have a smaller anterior cingulate, an area at the front of the brain associated with courage and looking on the bright side of life. The "exciting" correlation was found by scientists at University College London who scanned the brains of two members of parliament and a number of students. They found that the size of the two areas of the brain directly related to the political views of the volunteers. However as they were all adults it was hard to say whether their brains had been born that way or had developed through experience. Prof Geraint Rees, who led the research, said: "We were very surprised to find that there was an area of the brain that we could predict political attitude. "It is very surprising because it does suggest there is something about political attitude that is encoded in our brain structure through our experience or that there is something in our brain structure that determines or results in political attitude." Prof Rees and his team, who carried out the research for the Today programme on BBC Radio 4, looked at the brain make up of the Labour MP Stephen Pound and Alan Duncan, the Conservative Minister of State for International Development using a scanner. They also questioned a further 90 students, who had already been scanned for other studies, about their political views. The results, which will be published next year, back up a study that showed that some people were born with a "Liberal Gene" that makes people more likely to seek out less conventional political views. The gene, a neurotransmitter in the brain called DRD4, could even be stimulated by the novelty value of radical opinions, claimed the researchers at the University of California.[/release] Explains why conservatives seem to like motivating people with fear (socialist Kenyan Muslim president, death panels) - they're naturally more fearful.

Didn't we already have a thread like this? Although, this is a far better source than the other one.

they actually found that your amygdala grows proportionately to the number of people you know correlation isn't causation though, it's probably nothing

I read about this elsewhere. Very interesting, although I'd be the first to admit I'm skeptical. Studies that purport to establish a link between specific type of group and something that is supposedly endemic in their genetics have been used to try to unjustly malign and prosecute others before. Still, it remains to be seen whether it's political ideology that causes these bran changes, or if it's the other way around. Though it's quite revealing that certain neurological characteristics lend themselves to one political ideology, for example the conservatives being largely predicated upon fear. Me? I probably have a larger anterior cingulate. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlBiLNN1NhQ&feature=related[/media]

See also:[url=http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/jonathan_haidt_on_the_moral_mind.html]this TED talk[/url]

it makes sense really, conservatives tend to be slower to accept new things (gays, blacks, etc.), that can be related to humanity's fear of the foreign and unknown.

[QUOTE=Lambeth;27092934]See also:[url=http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/jonathan_haidt_on_the_moral_mind.html]this TED talk[/url][/QUOTE] God, nothing is truer than what he says at the end. Everyone thinks they're right. I've always thought that, and because of that I don't bother with arguing politics or religion. It's pointless in the end and only serves to separate you from people who have different opinions from yours.

not arguing or debating is the fast track to intellectual death

[QUOTE=froztshock;27093344]God, nothing is truer than what he says at the end.[/QUOTE] Good thing he doesnt exist. :c00lbert:

I heard something Simalar (Why can't my spell check give me the correct spelling), only it involved a medication I once took. This is the article I heard about: [url]http://radioequalizer.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-liberal-conspiracy-theory-provides.html[/url] And here's the article they linked to: [url]http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/brain-thickness-determines-political-leaning-study-20101229-199hk.html[/url]

glaber that first link is a right wing blog

[QUOTE=froztshock;27093344]God, nothing is truer than what he says at the end. Everyone thinks they're right. I've always thought that, and because of that I don't bother with arguing politics or religion. It's pointless in the end and only serves to separate you from people who have different opinions from yours.[/QUOTE] Not for me. I always second guess myself on all actions I take. I'm always arguing with myself in any situation and looking at cons and pros.

[QUOTE=Zeke129;27094120]glaber that first link is a right wing blog[/QUOTE] shhhhh he might cry a little

[QUOTE=Archy;27094186]shhhhh he might cry a little[/QUOTE] Why didn't he just link to the source they cited instead of making the entire post non-credible

[QUOTE=Zeke129;27094424]Why didn't he just link to the source they cited instead of making the entire post non-credible[/QUOTE] Maybe because he has better things to do than try and shape his posts to impress an internet forum. Who really gives a fuck.

[QUOTE=Dr_Funk;27095590]Maybe because he has better things to do than try and shape his posts to impress an internet forum. Who really gives a fuck.[/QUOTE] Oh yay, conservative persecution complex once again. Love seeing that come out. How about if he wants to taken seriously(which he seems to be) he shouldn't pick right wing radio talk show hosts with agendas and who have their own heads up their ass.

[QUOTE=Zeke129;27094120]glaber that first link is a right wing blog[/QUOTE] the source in the OP is the torygraph [editline]31st December 2010[/editline] [QUOTE=Archy;27092960]it makes sense really, conservatives tend to be slower to accept new things (gays, blacks, etc.), that can be related to humanity's fear of the foreign and unknown.[/QUOTE] gays have existed for as long as humanity has, and blacks preceded all other races too they are hardly "new things"

[QUOTE=Archy;27092960]it makes sense really, conservatives tend to be slower to accept new things (gays, blacks, etc.), that can be related to humanity's fear of the foreign and unknown.[/QUOTE] Gays and blacks aren't exactly new...

[QUOTE=Sgt Doom;27092827]Didn't we already have a thread like this? Although, this is a far better source than the other one.[/QUOTE] The other thread was an opinion piece that called conservatives brain-damaged. This is a news article from a respected paper.

[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;27095668]Oh yay, [B]conservative persecution complex [/B]once again. Love seeing that come out. How about if he wants to taken seriously(which he seems to be) he shouldn't pick right wing radio talk show hosts with agendas and who have their own heads up their ass.[/QUOTE] Do you even know what that means?

I'm an optimistic libertarian.

This makes me wonder why liberals push so many policies by trying to tug on heartstrings. Could it possibly be because of this? An effort to connect to the emotional audience of the otherside? That still doesn't explain for me the anti-gun, protectionist attitude of the left for me. But as bad as things are becoming now, I've really stopped giving a shit about right or left, and I'm just hoping for anyone who supports government downsizing to gain ground.

[QUOTE=HolyCrusade;27098694]Do you even know what that means?[/QUOTE] Yeah, and I do think there is a bit of a conservative persecution complex. "War on Christmas" anyone?

Conservatives can be more optimistic than liberals about some things though, like trickle-down and the invisible hand, so I don't know if I really agree with this study. It seems like conservatives are equally as optimistic as liberals when it comes to things that they agree with.

[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;27095668]persecution complex once again[/QUOTE] Get some new material, yo.

[QUOTE=Strider*;27101222]Get some new material, yo.[/QUOTE] He doesn't need new material if it's still valid.

[QUOTE=Lambeth;27092934]See also:[url=http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/jonathan_haidt_on_the_moral_mind.html]this TED talk[/url][/QUOTE] That was rather good.

[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;27095668]Oh yay, conservative persecution complex once again. Love seeing that come out. How about if he wants to taken seriously(which he seems to be) he shouldn't pick right wing radio talk show hosts with agendas and who have their own heads up their ass.[/QUOTE] I don't really see how that was persecution complexy.

i liked the one where it proved they were retarded!

[QUOTE=Zeke129;27094120]glaber that first link is a right wing blog[/QUOTE] You think I don't know that? I only heard about it from Mark Steyn yesterday.