Study: Conservatives have larger ‘fear center’ in brain

Oh boy, this one sure is likely going to be the topic of debate...

Differing brain structures behind political preferences?

I am sure this study is going to ruffle a few feathers.

Personally, I don't identify with EITHER party, so I kind of just view modern politics with a sort of detached skepticism of the entire system as it is. heh.

Let's hear your take on this study people...

A study at University College London in the UK has found that conservatives' brains have larger amygdalas than the brains of liberals. Amygdalas are responsible for fear and other "primitive" emotions. At the same time, conservatives' brains were also found to have a smaller anterior cingulate -- the part of the brain responsible for courage and optimism.

If the study is confirmed, it could give us the first medical explanation for why conservatives tend to be more receptive to threats of terrorism, for example, than liberals. And it may help to explain why conservatives like to plan based on the worst-case scenario, while liberals tend towards rosier outlooks.

Full Story:

www.rawstory.com...

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


Conservatives primitive, emotional, and lacking in courage? Say it ain't so! I'd actually like to see if this study, or the counterpart, recently, that suggested liberalism is a "birth defect" might ascertain just how impressionable each type of person is. That, for me would be the deciding factor in developing opinion - as it seems that almost all ATS based political arguments devolve into accusations of susceptibility and lack of critical thought.

~Heff

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


Liberals tend to be the ones who are pessimistic and cowardly...by FAR. But liberals have the childish "invincible" mindset. Cons are more realistic, thus possibly creating more 'fear'. Libs make decisions based on blind emotion rather than logic and rationality. I've read other studies that say conservatives are happier than liberals in all areas of their lives. I think everyone should take these "studies" with a grain of salt. Bias is most likely at play.

Whoa, that studt is SCARY!!!!

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


Quite a small sample size...90-100? And as with most studies of this sort, the bulk are college students--who are in most cases, just discovering *who they are*--much less discovering which political party they are willing to affiliate with...

Plus, the article doesn't indicate the proportions of gender involved...

I, personally, don't buy into the political system of divide and conquer: "liberal" or "conservative."

However, I can say that after having children, I tend to be more "protective," while realizing TPTB's scare tactics....

reply to post by DimensionalDetective

People who startle easily tend to vote conservatives
From what I've been noticing though, this only applies to american and some european conservatives, so I suspect it's related to political ideology and culture.

It would certainly explain the mass appeal of Sarah Palin and the NRA.

I can think of a few posters on here that I would gladly nominate to donate live tissue samples.

Could this have anything thing you think to do with the correlation between Christianity, and conservatism. The idea, that their entire life is revolved around a fear based ideal?

I wonder how this study would do on
military personnel of the world.

Conservative soldiers, and liberal soldiers
before ever facing battle. Then after facing battle.

This study only represents a VERY small few,
a hand full of individuals.

I say it is junk,
the confirmation it is waiting on is one I could care less about.

Same with the study on liberalism being a mental disorder.

Who the hell comes up with these dumb ass illogical studies?

Thats right, heart on their sleeve morons.

Originally posted by recycled
Could this have anything thing you think to do with the correlation between Christianity, and conservatism. The idea, that their entire life is revolved around a fear based ideal?

No. That correlation does not always hold true, so your idea is false. Here in NZ (except for a minority of American-influenced people) the opposite correlation holds true - Christians here tend to be what you in the USA would call "liberals".
Especially Catholics - and I read a study by Andrew Greeley from the 1980s that showed that even in the USA most Catholics tended to be "liberals". (I wonder if that still holds true?)
Vicky

Hmmm?
Interesting study when one takes into consideration that most of our military are conservatives. Fear is a good trait if you think about it. When faced with dangerous situations, it tends to make people more cautious and make wiser decisions which could be the difference between life and death.

Those who "lack fear" may tend to appear as an individual who makes "stupid" decisions.

This will tell you more about it.

The Amygdala and the Emotions

You know, I am going to have to defend my conservative friends here. I don't believe that Conservatives have a bigger fear center or are more easily frightened. I just think that Conservatives receive bad information.

If you are a conservative and watch FOX News, of course you are going to be scared. The way FOX News describes certain subjects, is freaking scary.

I mean FOX News alludes to saying that every Muslim is a terrorist hell bent on bringing sharia law to the US, every Latino is an Illegal here to start gang wars and run drug cartels, that Obama is the Anti Christ, that Gays have some sort of agenda, that Atheists want to destroy Christianity, etc, etc, so on and so forth.

If the prime source of where you get your information promotes fear as it's strongest argument of course your key demographic is going to come off as having a larger "fear center" but in all reality it's just mental programing and not anything actual. I believe given some time away from stimuli like FOX News, many of these people that the article details may in fact calm down.

I believe that for one to subscribe to either complete liberalism or complete conservatism, one must have an unbalanced outlook on life.

Anyone who would choose a stupid label or party affiliation over common sense and personal reasoning live in an unbalanced and artificial world.

Man can be liberal in certain areas while conservative in other matters, but he must always remain open to listen to new ideas. He who toe's a party line and decides without reason is irresponsible and does the entire human population a disservice.

reply to post by FortAnthem


Funny study...too bad most people will only quote the study results and not the sample size which in my estimation is useless..however a dancing banana on the bottom of your post was very funny..thanks for the chuckle....let us not get our panties in a bunch over this study folks..

reply to post by BlackOps719


Well said...great response...

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


DD, this study was TORN apart. First off, there was NO control group. Second, it was paid for by a liberal type to examine why the conservatives were different. Hmmmmm, what is a conservative? This is England by the way, their conservative is not the same as an American Conservative.

Next, did Ann Coulter not write a book about this?

If Democrats had any brains, they would be Republicans.

edit to add-okay, I am sorry, I plagiarized that joke from a comment somewhere on the net, probably the same place that DD got this story from. I read too much so I do not remember

Originally posted by sonjah1
reply to post by DimensionalDetective

 

Quite a small sample size...90-100? And as with most studies of this sort, the bulk are college students--who are in most cases, just discovering *who they are*--much less discovering which political party they are willing to affiliate with...

Plus, the article doesn't indicate the proportions of gender involved...

I, personally, don't buy into the political system of divide and conquer: "liberal" or "conservative."

However, I can say that after having children, I tend to be more "protective," while realizing TPTB's scare tactics....

Call it whatever you want.

Liberal, conservative, Democrat, Republican, Left, Right...

Give it a name or not, it still relates to people who are more rejecting then others, many times in terms of social acceptance on certain things.

This shouldn't be that much of a surprise...

What would account for the mass migration of Obamamites? Does fashion come into play as well? I've never met a parliament smokin, pabst beer drinking hipster conservative. I wonder how many pounds (or is it euros?) were spent on this lame study?

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


Myohmy. Very funny.

...Wonder if their amygdala's have actually been altered? Maybe it's because of all the Neuro-Marketing going on?

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


I beleive that a true balanced brain is more centered, meaning not leftist or rightist, not black or white but shades of grey if you will. I am the same I don't subscribe to left or right doctrine, I am dead center middle line.