Brain structure differs in liberals, conservatives: study

No one likes to think they are less than anyone else and being structured different can be a puzzling thought. There is a reason the republicans have called universities home of liberal elites. The study, published in the March 2010 issue of the peer-reviewed scientific journal Social Psychology Quarterly, advances a new theory to explain why people form particular preferences and values.
In a new study Satoshi Kanazawa, an evolutionary psychologist at the London School of Economics and Political Science, argues that humans are evolutionarily designed to be conservative, caring mostly about their family and friends, and being liberal, caring about an indefinite number of genetically unrelated strangers they never meet or interact with, is evolutionarily novel. So more intelligent children may be more likely to grow up to be liberals.
Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) support Kanazawa's hypothesis. Young adults who subjectively identify themselves as "very liberal" have an average IQ of 106 during adolescence while those who identify themselves as "very conservative" have an average IQ of 95 during adolescence.
Similarly, religion is a byproduct of humans' tendency to perceive agency and intention as causes of events, to see "the hands of God" at work behind otherwise natural phenomena. "Humans are evolutionarily designed to be paranoid, and they believe in God because they are paranoid," says Kanazawa. This innate bias toward paranoia served humans well when self-preservation and protection of their families and clans depended on extreme vigilance to all potential dangers. "So, more intelligent children are more likely to grow up to go against their natural evolutionary tendency to believe in God, and they become atheists."
Young adults who identify themselves as "not at all religious" have an average IQ of 103 during adolescence, while those who identify themselves as "very religious" have an average IQ of 97 during adolescence.

After reading through the replies on this thread I cannot help but note that this has single-handedly done more to divide ATS members on politics than anything else outside of actual political issues I have seen all year.

Now Soficrow, I know you are about releasing information to the members of ATS but I also know you are of the more liberal persuasion so either you did not understand how this would be seen by those of a more conservative nature, you just did not care, or this was intentional to ‘ruffle their feathers’.

Obviously liberals with such a ‘complex thinking structure’ could see how this would be a serious insult to conservatives, basically saying they are mentally inferior to the genuine intelligence of liberals. Since conservatives process politics on fear and liberals process it on the attempt at understanding its complexities.

This would obviously give any self-righteous liberal a high about themselves, which is the last thing we need, and would create a hostile atmosphere where conservatives would feel obligated to defend themselves and their rationale.

So much like projectvxn said, what about those of us who went from hard-core lefties to Libertarian conservatives? Obviously our brains would have been programmed since birth to be one or the other and thus transitioning would be nearly, if not outright impossible.

In my opinion these scientists were not willing to even question the results of the study, and why? Because reports have shown upwards of 80%+ of scientists are liberal, so I am guessing there was maybe 1 or 2 at the most of scientists who could have objected to these results. Just more of the back-patting and high fiving among those who see themselves as intellectually and morally superior to those “inferiors” such as Christians, conservatives, and tea-partiers.

I trust scientists about as much as I trust the Catholic priest alone with a young boy.

Originally posted by Reflection
reply to post by undo

 

I recognize it for what it is. I also recognize that there are clearly more fundamental religious nuts on the conservative side. Ever heard of the Christian Coalition??

The christian coalition? Sorry, no. What shape of brain do they have? Are they cross brained?

If you're up on your neuroscience, you'll know that its a rapidly evolving field and any studies that come out should not be taken as gospel. As someone else on this thread said - you can pretty much find a study that says anything you want. At the end of the day the brain is ridiculously complex and we're really only at the beginning of understanding how it actually works.

As for the advertising side, it can have an influence on you whether you're listening/watching it or not. The general consensus at the moment (and Ive put that in bold due to the first point in my post), is that it can effect you on both a conscious and unconscious level. And while the ethics are debatable as to whether advertisers should use techniques that appeal to the unconscious, you can only process simple concepts via unconscious processing, and so complex conditioning would seem a little too difficult to implement for the time being.

Either way though if people want to read up on neuroscience try searching through medical journals and suchlike. Most articles and journals that are associated with sites such as brand republic tend to focus a little too much on the drama with regards to neuroscience.

Oh and just so people know Im not just talking out my ar*e, Ive just completed my dissertation on the introduction of neuroscience into advertising, so Ive been researching this stuff for the past 6 months solid.

reply to post by CarlitosAmsel


The Christian Coalition is basically what turned the Republican party into a religious party during the 80s.

reply to post by Pappie54


This compliments what I was saying about religion being an important part of this study. If you accept that there are significantly more religious conservatives than liberals, especially of the extreme, fear based types of religions.

I think IQ has more to do with a supportive learning environment than genetics. Religion can really inhibit creative thinking. There really is no reason to think. It's done for you.

Perhaps put another way: Liberals' brains are SMALLER in the area that processes "fear"...

Or maybe another way to define "fear" would be "The ability to recognize threats to one's safety and liberty, and the potential consequences of those threats, and the ability to take action to negate the threat."

Also, if liberals are so good at understanding complexity, why are they so inept at understanding phrases like "We the people" and other very simple constitutional passages? That's not to say neocons can grasp them any better..

It's all in the spin, people.

Originally posted by Reflection
reply to post by CarlitosAmsel

 

The Christian Coalition is basically what turned the Republican party into a religious party during the 80s.

Ooohh...
Important stuff, is it?
Or rather minor detail?
Lets split Bushes head open and see what kind of brain he kept over...

reply to post by Reflection


not buying it. i could post links and videos to all manner of liberal religious people. i've seen examples of people who are christian communists. i'm sorry, but no, not buying it.

Originally posted by projectvxn
So what about those of us who used to be hardcore left leaning liberals who began to understand economics?

My understanding of the complexity of economics is the reason I process the fear that one day soon these stupid liberal policies will bankrupt us all.

I think this "study" is complete BS.

Yet you perpetuate it's findings with your own words.

Economics has nothing to do with this, although I find it admirable that you are seeking to explain your agenda.

Haven't you come to the conclusion that your tax dollars (assuming you pay them, no offense meant) will be spent foolishly by fatcats giving no-bids to their buddies in exchange for preferential treatment or padding of portfolios?

Haven't you realized that the money will be usurped by the rich corporate folk, regardless of what side they are on?

I've seen some very on point, succinct posts on your behalf--and many chiding fellow members for being hopeless side-takers in a tug-of-war game over an endless length of rope.

I'd have to say I experience right-wingers speaking out of fear more than left. I don't think this means they are more fearful.

I'd also have to say that I've found left-wingers seeking deeper, more complex answers to societies ills, but I don't think they are more capable of complex thought.

The study seems to glean the trends of political leanings, but not an end-all personality test like you find in bars for a quarter.

reply to post by Tharsis


You don't need a scientific study to tell you that certain idiotic policies will bankrupt a nation.

Or is running up debts and spending like it's going out of style a sound economic policy?

The difference between liberals and conservatives has ALWAYS been about economics.

reply to post by Misoir


i don't think there are 80%+ scientists who are liberals. this seems inaccurate to me. rather, i think it's just like the rest of your post suggests or hints at, percentages and polls can be compiled to prove anything, if you're careful how you target the data field to glean the results you desire.

there are many highly educated, science-minded people on both sides of the political divide. there are conservative gays, for example, who are only conservative, financially, and have not one ounce of interest in religion and conservative gays who are religious, as well. the stereotypes MUST STOP.

the only difference between conservative and liberal people, is how they feel the money available to society, should be handled.

Originally posted by projectvxn
reply to post by Tharsis

 

You don't need a scientific study to tell you that certain idiotic policies will bankrupt a nation.

Or is running up debts and spending like it's going out of style a sound economic policy?

The difference between liberals and conservatives has ALWAYS been about economics.

Yea, you dont need to know the brain structure of people like that to realize, they are crooks and idiots.

Originally posted by Reflection
reply to post by CarlitosAmsel

 

The Christian Coalition is basically what turned the Republican party into a religious party during the 80s.

no, the christians, who were tired of their own parties calling them biggoted idiots, while they were (at the same time) shelling out increasingly larger amounts of their paychecks to "help people," were seen as a possible voting block to be accessed and manipulated. someone observant, saw the opportunity and went with it.

doesn't mean all conservatives are christians, nor does it mean the christian coalition was the voice of christians everywhere. nor does it mean that all christians are conservatives. it was one of many manifestations of the issues at hand.

you must realize that there were no conservative news programs just 25 years ago and NO representative political force or voice, for christians. and the bulk of the christian voting block had been shamed into believing they were cruel, heartless, narrow-minded, idiots for not wanting to be called, cruel, heartless, narrow-minded idiots, in the first place.

it's basic mathematics

Well, I'm in Europe and its night. I'll go to bed with the certainty that with this christion coalition we have found something for you to argue about and keep you busy until the sun comes up again. Good Night

Originally posted by undo
reply to post by Reflection

 

not buying it. i could post links and videos to all manner of liberal religious people. i've seen examples of people who are christian communists. i'm sorry, but no, not buying it.

edit on 9-4-2011 by undo because: (no reason given)

Hmm..what do you think there are more of? Christian communists or Evangelical Christians? Amish or Baptists?

I'm sure there are a good portion of Catholic liberals, but Catholicism, is less fear based and more liberal by nature than Evangelism.

I guess I should be more specific. The Republican party has far more fear based religious people than liberals. I'm talking about people freaked out over abortion, homosexuality, new agers, NWO and Armegedon. Granted, I don't have the numbers to back this up, but I bet they're not hard to find.

No matter what, we first have to check out their brain structures. Who knows, maybe they have similar once...

reply to post by Reflection


i think there are equal amounts of religious people, be they christian or not, in both parties. some believe the work ethic is a necessary part of following a religious concept. some believe sharing all you have, to be a necessary part of following a religious concept. both examples can be extracted from the teachings of jesus. so that means you will find christians on both sides of the political spectrum (and in the libertarians as well).

reply to post by Reflection

The Republican party has far more fear based religious people than liberals. I'm talking about people freaked out over abortion, homosexuality, new agers, NWO and Armegedon. Granted, I don't have the numbers to back this up, but I bet they're not hard to find.

i think the only ones there that apply in this situation are abortion and homosexuality, and then only for those conservatives who are religiously conservative (which includes the vatican, who frowns on both and has edicts to enforce their stance on it).

otherwise, christians of both parties are concerned, in varying amounts, with the nwo, armaggedon and new age religions attempting to replace all others. and even that is flexible, depending on the biblical area of study, of the christian in question. many christians don't read prophecy or try to determine its meaning because they feel it is depressing and not something to dwell upon, for whatever reasons.

It makes sense to me, and also makes me a bit sad. If this is determined to be an absolute fact, then there is no "talking sense" to a conservative considering they simply cannot think that way...its a wiring issue, not a intellect issue, and since they are wired to fear more than understand, then its all but pointless to even try.

So, what is the solution? Clearly there is a evolutionary divide here. the fear part of the brain helped us not become food for other animals, and allowed for civilization to seed and take place due to fearing neighbors and therefore set up strong defenses...

however, the complexity part of the brain they lack is the factor in progressing us beyond feudal mindsets and dark age mentality...it will be the thing that ensures space colonization and continuing the species...

a bit of fear is needed still, but gray matter is much more relevant and necessary for the long term survival of our planet and species...