Study finds left-wing brain, right-wing brain

["Richard M. Smith" <rms () computerbytesman com>]

http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-politics10sep10,1,5376455.story?c
track=2&cset=true

Even in humdrum nonpolitical decisions, liberals and conservatives literally
think differently, researchers show.
By Denise Gellene, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer 
September 10, 2007 

Exploring the neurobiology of politics, scientists have found that liberals
tolerate ambiguity and conflict better than conservatives because of how
their brains work.

In a simple experiment reported todayin the journal Nature Neuroscience,
scientists at New York University and UCLA show that political orientation
is related to differences in how the brain processes information.

Previous psychological studies have found that conservatives tend to be more
structured and persistent in their judgments whereas liberals are more open
to new experiences. The latest study found those traits are not confined to
political situations but also influence everyday decisions.

The results show "there are two cognitive styles -- a liberal style and a
conservative style," said UCLA neurologist Dr. Marco Iacoboni, who was not
connected to the latest research.

Participants were college students whose politics ranged from "very liberal"
to "very conservative." They were instructed to tap a keyboard when an M
appeared on a computer monitor and to refrain from tapping when they saw a
W.

M appeared four times more frequently than W, conditioning participants to
press a key in knee-jerk fashion whenever they saw a letter.

Each participant was wired to an electroencephalograph that recorded
activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, the part of the brain that
detects conflicts between a habitual tendency (pressing a key) and a more
appropriate response (not pressing the key). Liberals had more brain
activity and made fewer mistakes than conservatives when they saw a W,
researchers said. Liberals and conservatives were equally accurate in
recognizing M.

...



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