Your brain can reveal if you’re rightwing – plus three other things it tells us about your politics
Quote:2. If you’re centre-left
We need to be cautious because the brain is a complex machine, and no single area is responsible for how we think. But some areas are associated with political thinking.
A study – co-written by actor Colin Firth – found that “greater liberalism [left-wing thinking] was associated with increased grey matter volume in the anterior cingulate cortex”. This part of the brain is associated with empathy. So, maybe this research proves that those on the left are more empathetic..
We should perhaps add that The King’s Speech, Pride and Prejudice and Bridget Jones’ Diary star was guest editing the BBC radio programme Today when he commissioned researchers to carry out the study. He doesn’t have a secret second career as a neuroscientist, though the work he proposed is legitimate science that has been through rigorous peer review and published in a top biology journal.
3. If you’re centre-right
That was the leftwing brain. What about conservatives or the centre-right? Well, individuals of this persuasion tend to be sceptical of change and cautious when they make choices. The brain region associated with these traits is the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, on the topside of the brain.
Sure enough, researchers found that this part was activated when subjects were exposed to video clips with political messages or images of people living alternative lifestyles – something that perhaps suggests a negative response to these lifestyles.