Tell Me You're Surprised

[LTS TRN 2]

Brain structure differs in liberals, conservatives: study

(AFP) – Apr 7, 2011

WASHINGTON — Everyone knows that liberals and conservatives butt heads when it comes to world views, but scientists have now shown that their brains are actually built differently.

Liberals have more gray matter in a part of the brain associated with understanding complexity, while the conservative brain is bigger in the section related to processing fear, said the study on Thursday in Current Biology.

"We found that greater liberalism was associated with increased gray matter volume in the anterior cingulate cortex, whereas greater conservatism was associated with increased volume of the right amygdala," the study said.

Other research has shown greater brain activity in those areas, according to which political views a person holds, but this is the first study to show a physical difference in size in the same regions.

"Previously, some psychological traits were known to be predictive of an individual's political orientation," said Ryota Kanai of the University College London, where the research took place.

"Our study now links such personality traits with specific brain structure."

The study was based on 90 "healthy young adults" who reported their political views on a scale of one to five from very liberal to very conservative, then agreed to have their brains scanned.

People with a large amygdala are "more sensitive to disgust" and tend to "respond to threatening situations with more aggression than do liberals and are more sensitive to threatening facial expressions," the study said.

Liberals are linked to larger anterior cingulate cortexes, a region that "monitor(s) uncertainty and conflicts," it said.

"Thus, it is conceivable that individuals with a larger ACC have a higher capacity to tolerate uncertainty and conflicts, allowing them to accept more liberal views."

It remains unclear whether the structural differences cause the divergence in political views, or are the effect of them.

But the central issue in determining political views appears to revolve around fear and how it affects a person.

"Our findings are consistent with the proposal that political orientation is associated with psychological processes for managing fear and uncertainty," the study said.


So..this partially explains the paranoid disconnect of the average Tea Bagger and neocon? It helps to explain the squirming fear of Glenn Beck and Limpdick? It focuses a lens of clarity upon the weird and inexplicably creepy behavior by the GOP as it implodes on a daily basis? Hmmm..tell me you're surprised :wink:

[Moving Sale]

Huh?

[Truman]

What, that the political right in this country is far more patriotic than you koolaid swilling, left-wing pinko nut jobs?!

Well, duh.

Nope. No surprise here...

[Dinsdale]

I'd say the average conservative or liberal is smart enough to not cite a study that the authors are so proud of that they're only ever referred to as "they."


Seriously? Not a name, not an organization, no citations?

That's what you're using to claim superior intelligence?


Good god you suck.

[LTS TRN 2]

I sense your fear and paranoia and will accept your answer as "yes."

[poptart]

Seriously? Not a name, not an organization, no citations?

What a horseshit thread.



TROTS

[LTS TRN 2]

Ninety healthy adults as test subjects, examined by scientists, results confirmed:

This guy is insane


This bitch is insane


This twisted midget is extremely insane


This horrific confluence of ignorance, greed, and sprawling malignant ambition represents the "conservative" mind these days. This is the toxic circus to which the GOP has been reduced..

whereas,

This goofy looking lil' guy is actually a fearless patriot with a sane and sensible moral conscience


This brilliant professor of linguistics is also a brave and noble character in the fight for human rights and intellectual honesty


This astronomer was light in the darkness of religious ignorance and intolerance, and a champion of the planet



And this is the liberal mind...responsibly agnostic, always evolving,

WW

[poptart]

Sagan was a Jew.
And so is Chomsky.



:)

[Shlomart Ben Yisrael]

Sagan was a Jew.
And so is Chomsky.



:)

So was Jesus...

...and Anthony Weiner.

[LTS TRN 2]

And so is Elliot Spitzer, who despite his abrasive manner and rather stupid behavior with call girls is a great American patriot. The idea of accusing someone of being anti-Jewish because they abhor the ghastly fake apartheid state is itself pathetic and shallow hypocrisy. Tell me you knew..

[Goober McTuber]

...and Anthony Weiner.

[Shlomart Ben Yisrael]

...and Anthony Weiner.

That Youtube was submitted by martyspears???




ho-lee-fuk!

[LTS TRN 2]

So why are they dressed like unemployed mummies?

[Shlomart Ben Yisrael]

So why are they dressed like unemployed mummies?

Obama's economy.

[Goober McTuber]

unemployed mummies?

[LTS TRN 2]

And...these fat broads all got ...weinered?