Political views ‘hard-wired’ into your brain

by admin on Dec.28, 2010, under Science

Tories may be born not made, claims a study that suggests people with right
wing views have a larger area of the brain associated with fear.

The brains of MPs and students were examined Photo: CORBIS

By Richard Alleyne, Science Correspondent

5:00PM GMT 28 Dec 2010

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Scientists have found that people with conservative views have brains with
larger amygdalas, almond shaped areas in the centre of the brain often
associated with anxiety and emotions.

On the otherhand, they have a smaller anterior cingulate, an area at the front
of the brain associated with courage and looking on the bright side of life.

The “exciting” correlation was found by scientists at University College
London who scanned the brains of two members of parliament and a number of
students.

They found that the size of the two areas of the brain directly related to the
political views of the volunteers.

However as they were all adults it was hard to say whether their brains had
been born that way or had developed through experience.

Article extracted from telegraph.co.uk