Study: Conservatives have larger “fear center" of the brain. (Hispanic, Muslim)

[JordanJP]

"Conservative" in the UK and "Conservative" in the US are completely different things, just fyi. With that in mind, this probably doesn't have any true bearing on American "conservatives."

[hotair2]

Originally Posted by chattypatty

It is a completely ridiculous assertion. That's why it's junk science.

Very scientific response.

Originally Posted by hotair2

Maybe we should not be getting angry with conservatives lack of compassion and obvious paranoia. It may just be genetic, and they just can't help it.

A study to be published next year at University College London suggests that conservative brains are structured differently than the brains of other people. The investigation, led by Geraint Rees, focused on 92 individuals in the U.K. — 90 students and two members of Parliament.
Specifically, the research shows that people with conservative tendencies have a larger amygdala and a smaller anterior cingulate than other people. The amygdala — typically thought of as the “primitive brain” — is responsible for reflexive impulses, like fear. The anterior cingulate is thought to be responsible for courage and optimism. This one-two punch could be responsible for many of the anecdotal claims that conservatives “think differently” from others.

Study: Conservatives have larger "fear center" - Neuroscience - Salon.com

I do not know about the study but the phrases to desribe it are so biased.

A Conservative must have wrote it. Also, I do not know why UK conservatives are compared to US Conservatives in this thread?

To summarize - Conservatives are abonormally fearful and have primitive brains while non-conservatives are normal and have a more developed brains guided by courage and optimism.

Yeah, any 'study' that frames the results in such a way is - well - BS.

In response to this thread Study: Conservatives have larger “fear center" of the brain. I thought I would post this video. It's a little more respectful and alot more believable.


Jonathan Haidt: The real difference between liberals and con - YouTube

[RCCCB]

If they have an opinion left or right, they can tilt the thing to look how they like it.

Conservatives are basically into self reliance, smaller government and smaller safety nets except for the elderly and disabled. There is a desire to balance budgets and to empower people.

Liberals seem to think it is their mission to grow government and to empower it to take your money and spend it on mostly people who think like them. There also seems to be a lack of desire in liberals to cut spending and balanced a budget. They also like lots of abortion clinics in mostly minority areas.

[Annie53]

Originally Posted by RCCCB

If they have an opinion left or right, they can tilt the thing to look how they like it.

Conservatives are basically into self reliance, smaller government and smaller safety nets except for the elderly and disabled. There is a desire to balance budgets and to empower people.

Liberals seem to think it is their mission to grow government and to empower it to take your money and spend it on mostly people who think like them. There also seems to be a lack of desire in liberals to cut spending and balanced a budget. They also like lots of abortion clinics in mostly minority areas.

Being anti-choice certainly doesn't fit in with smaller government, self reliance or empowering people, does it?

[wrench409]

The facts speak for themselves.

Facts?

Your opinions speak for you.

You got the two things mixed up.

Now how did that happen in a (reportedly superior intelligent articulate) liberal mind?

[Shankapotomus]

I prefer Janeane Garofalo's take on the Conservative brain:

"Their synapses are misfiring."

[Tall_Rep]

Originally Posted by Shankapotomus

I prefer Janeane Garofalo's take on the Conservative brain:

"Their synapses are misfiring."

Anyone who champions anything that Jeaneane Garafalo says has synapses firing issues of their own.

[GregW]

I am skeptical of these studies because of the complexity of the human brain and the mind that lives there. I do not think nearly enough research has been done to draw any more then very preliminary conclusions.

I think many people in our society are very fearful because of a decade’s long propaganda campaign by American conservatives telling people that everybody but the conservatives are out to get them. The reality is the scapegoats in this campaign are not he enemy but the conservatives, generally colluding businessmen and their political whores, are out to take the working and middle classes for every dime the might have ever had.

What is true, is that Fear can exclude thinking and a fearful society can be more easily led to self destruction than an aware confident society that trusts itself before trusting a set of self serving authorities.