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Liberal brain vs. conservative brain


  3. katharinekov
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Finally, a definitive study confirms what we've all whispered for years: liberals and conservatives think differently.

It sounds silly but it is an interesting look at the basic structure of the decision-making process. According to the study, the fundamental difference appears to be that liberals are more likely to consider and analyze new information.

The flip side: the study also suggests that conservatives do a much better job of blocking out distracting information and focusing attention.

Think the study is junk? Maybe you're just unable to take new information into account. Aw heck, the story is in that liberal rag the Los Angles Times anyway.

katharinekov

27 responses // Liberal brain vs. conservative brain

  • Interesting. I like to know more about this.
    CarolynGillis
  • Ha ha! Sometimes I think you can just narrow it down to compassionate people vs people who only care about themselves.
    mariposablanca
  • LOL
    I would have to agree with carolyn. I think more should be told about this study that has actually been out for a long period of time. Well, at least a year or so.

    What kills me is the labeling everyone is so eager to use. Conservative and Liberal. I remember when those two labels actually coincided with the two political parties.

    Joke (old)
    A conservative will help you get a shirt to put on your back. A liberal will give you the shirt off of someone else's back.

    Neither party is what they set out to be. The republicans are not true conservative. The democrats are not true liberals. Think about it. Look up the definitions if my nonsense is that hard to put your head around.

    Good post Katharinekov.
    hobs
  • Maybe the Los Angeles Times isn't a journalistic benchmark, but Nature Neuroscience is in the scientific community. An interesting article.
    lecoke
  • http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/02/11/politics.genes/ind...
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    video of the cnn article
    katharinekov
  • http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/02/11/politics.genes/ind...
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    article by cnn about genetics and voting.
    katharinekov
  • i could have told anyone that, of course liberals analyze info, for the most part they're smarter.
    Thargor19
  • Liberals treat dogs like people; conservatives treat people like dogs. Personally, and I don't mean to be attacking the conservatives, but I truly believe that if studies were done on sociopathy there would be a far higher incidence in the conservative arena. President Bush and Cheney in particular have made recent statements indicating that they have no remorse or conscience for their actions which defines a sociopath. Cheney when told that approx 75% of the nation doesn't agree with his current policy stated, "SO!". And Bush romanticizing thw Iraq War for the soldiers stating it was a great experience.

    I haven't read the study, but I hope it is interesting and informative. Thanks for the post.
    IMPEACH BUSH!
    menmykoko
  • I really wish they'd occasionally study the similarities between voters, instead of insisting on promoting th apparent divide between us.
    recommended by  jade_azul16
    AceHardchester
  • http://current.com/items/88869020_are_you_stuck_in_your...
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    My brain is about to eat itself!!!

    I am a moderately independent, agnostic.

    I cling to some institutions of the past and dare to be hopeful about the prospects of the future, all while questioning everything.

    WHERE do I fit into all this?

    Maybe I have two independent halves of the same brain....
    orionray
  • Also interesting coincidence is that they used the letter
    " W " to measure the response.
    Couldn't they at least have found a politically neutral letter?
    orionray
  • A conservative is a person who may be afraid of change, or is a victim of fear of the unknown.

    A liberal is a person less fearful of change and less fearful of the unknown.

    And, that conservative (in the joke) who helped get a shirt, where did they get the shirt, off his own back or off somebody elses back? Are we saying that a conservative is more compassionate and generous? I still trying to get my head around THAT concept!
    cadsuch
  • interesting.... i believe it.
    NotCaleb
  • And libertarians? Libertarians are the oppose to conservatives receiving new info so the process of taking decisions should be very similar to the way liberals does even when we are from the right-wing.
    ghostbar
  • They both take in new information, they just use it differently.

    It's more that the Liberal brain's are focused on the exterior and the Conservatives are focused on the interior.

    Every problem such as gun control the liberals try to solve by doing something on the outside such as taking the guns of circulation. Trying to focus on fixing the society at large.

    Also every problem Conservatives try to solve by focusing on the individual such and making the people that have guns more responsible for them.

    The problem being that each side is totally convinced that their approach is the only way, when both are only partially correct.
    Argon18
  • I dislike how this study was interpreted, agreeing with hobs a little bit. I think studies like this will only widen the divide between conservatives and liberals and strengthen the idea of a two party system which, in a lot of ways, is inherently flawed.
    indigenousprodigy
  • Seconding Hobs:

    As much as scientists love reducing broad truths to simple statistical realities, political philosophy is a little more complex.

    While it's interesting to think about, this study, like many pseudoscientific analyses, is bunk.
    BurningBush
  • Cadsuch,
    The point of the joke is that the conserv. will help the guy help himself. The lib. will just take from one and give to another.

    Has anyone noticed that the more laws that are passed, the less freedoms we have. Why is it okay for anyone to tell us how to live? If I don't hurt anyone else, why can't I do what I want. Especially in my own house. Now am I a conservative or a liberal?
    hobs
  • and then we all realize that the ultra-left and extreme right are the same people! lol
    pressrecord
  • The study could also conclude that, because republicans are quicker to judge and democrats take their time, republicans have better reflexes and therefore they are better at ping pong.
    BurningBush
  • Interesting article.
    crob80227
  • I think this is very interesting. Me, considering myself more.. moderate. I really dislike the "Everything in to Buisness" sort of outlook from Republicans/Conservatives. I don't like everything the liberals do, but i'd pick them over conservatives ANY day.

    I don't take this into account personally, but I would take this into account if we are talking about politicians. You've definately found one of those golden news nuggets.

    It seems in the latter half of the article that Liberals seem to use more brain power... would that be suggesting that they are smarter and put more thought into their decisions?

    Well, I don't know, but thanks for putting this up.
    DJSoundBored
  • A study I read some years ago showed that conservatives have many more nightmares than do liberals, too, among other things.
    Vierotchka
  • everybody's different
    thedismembermentplan
  • For sure ^ where all unique but in general ive wondered if what mariposablanca said is true "compassion vs selfishness"

    I would ask are Liberals concerend with well being and meeting people needs?
    Are Conservatives more into confidence and courage and having a healthy self esteem by taking charge and you have to fight wars to do that you know.
    DivinePerspective
  • true conservatives don't condone war and liberals aren't necessarily concerned with the people. the difference between the two platforms can be surmised by two principle beliefs: politically - 1) liberals (democrats) believe in government intervention of institutional and economic affairs whereas conservatives (republicans) limit government intervention-shown primarily in activities concerning property rights and civil liberty; economically - 2) conservatives are isolationists and defer from expending resources lavishly for keepsake whereas liberals engage in a collectivist sort of economic responsibility-shown primarily in activities concerning taxes and government funding.

    was that too black and white?
    pressrecord
  • http://www.theseminal.com/2007/10/19/rethinking-politic...
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    Just to play the devil's advocate, I would point out that the Liberal(Democrat)/Conservative(republican) distinction is not necessarily a black and white dichotomy. Think of it more of a spectrum, or full range of colors. Also realize that there are Conservative Dems and Libertarians (see pic.)

    This way of thinking might be getting CLOSER to representing our reality with language and ideas. But, we should always keep in mind our limitations. Point is, these are just labels. And I find it hard to fully describe any one human with just one word or idea.
    orionray

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