Conservative brains different?

[raw_thought]

These articles point to biological differences between liberals and conservatives.
http://2012election.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=004818
The Surprising Brain Differences Between Democrats and Republicans | Mother Jones
Inside the conservative brain: What explains their wiring? - Salon.com
Biology and political orientation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[bobhikes]

My problem with any study is how did they determine there categories. What makes a person conservative and what makes a person liberal. Did they take a paper test? What was the range on the scores? Who and Why was it decided? What about everyone else?

Any such study would have to high a margin for error to be any use.

 

[Mycroft]

I don't believe the structure of the brain has anything to do with it at all. The reason for this is that I find that value systems only come from the environment.

In other words. If you had two children growing up in nazi germany. And the propaganda of nazi germany was their only influences in life, that was all that informed their values. If one of those children had a better brain than the other - better connective tissue, more neurons, etc. All that means is that the child will become a nazi faster.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Their mindsets and worldviews are different, but not brain structure.

 

[raw_thought]

Are you saying that the brain has nothing to do with behavior?

 

[Gjallarhorn]

Their mindsets and worldviews are different, but not brain structure.

The former is typically the product of the latter.

 

[Revoltingest]

Thread reviving news alert!
Why Liberals Aren’t as Tolerant as They Think

 

[crowfeather]

The biggest difference is that leftists view life in terms of themselves, while conservatives view life as life.

 

[Valjean]

The biggest difference is that leftists view life in terms of themselves, while conservatives view life as life.

I think you've got it backwards. It's liberals who show the greatest empathy and least tribalism. Liberals think in terms of the greater good. Conservatives are more dog-eat-dog, my tribe vs yours.

I think neurologists have pretty well established that there are structural and physiologic differences between conservative and liberal brains. Just do a Google search. The differences even appear heritable.
Study Predicts Political Beliefs With 83 Percent Accuracy | Science | Smithsonian

 

[Ultimatum]

Are you saying that the brain has nothing to do with behavior?

Nobody is claiming otherwise. What is being claimed is that the structural integrity has nothing to do with politco-economic thought.

I once was a fervent libertarian market socialist and now find myself quite on the opposite side of the spectrum: my brain structure had nothing to do with it.

I think you've got it backwards. It's liberals who show the greatest empathy and least tribalism.

These studies are not correct due to the spectrum of politico-economic metrics. For example, I agree that "modern American liberalism" is empathetic.

But I believe it is empathetic in the wrong way. I do not have any empathy for others, yet I believe my system would deliver empathetic results.
[/QUOTE]

 

[VioletVortex]

They can be, but conservatism and liberalism alike are both indoctrinal constructs.

 

[metis]

I couldn't answer the question in the OP because I have doubts that conservatives have brains.