slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

From The Blaze.

"It’s probably fair to say this is a case of an already-held conclusion (not simply a hypothesis) searching for evidence." Many hypotheses seem to fall into this category/description, and should not be taken seriously...unless one wants/chooses to believe them.

Jonathon M. Seidl Dec 29, 2010 2:20 pm

A group of British researchers believe they have found why people are conservative: it’s a brain disorder of sorts.

Scientists at the University of London say that conservatives have an enlarged “fear” area in their brains, and smaller areas associated with courage and optimism. The London Telegraph reports:

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 other hand, 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 researches say there is a direct correlation between the sizes of those areas and one’s political views.

“We were very surprised to find that there was an area of the brain that we could predict political attitude,” Prof Geraint Rees, who led the research, told the Telegraph.

He added: “It is very surprising because it does suggest there is something about political attitude that is encoded in our brain structure through our experience or that there is something in our brain structure that determines or results in political attitude.”

But there’s just one problem: the research only studied a total of 93 brains — three politicians and 90 students.

The website Gawker gives the study the treatment it’s due in a paragraph mocking the scientists’ conclusions:

So there you have it. I don’t think it’s wildly extrapolating or jumping to any conclusions to say that this study definitively proves that conservatism is a brain disorder. I think that’s been proven by this 90-person study. Conservatives are all stupid brain-damaged i***ts who are stupid and brain-damaged. And i***ts.

It ends with an appropriate one word sentence: “SCIENCE.”

Wesley Smith over at First Things points out a couple more flaws in the study:

Notice “normal” brain structure is always the liberal.

Besides, what is “conservative” in the UK, may be middle of the road in the USA. Does that mean our conservatives’ brains are even more convoluted? And again, some people become conservatives after being liberal. Look at Ronald Reagan and First Things founder, Fr. Richard John Neuhaus.

And while he contends political views are largely shaped by experiences, he wonders what might happen if the study’s conclusions actual gain traction:

But, if its all in our hard wiring, we’d better make political views a suspect category for civil rights and h**e crime protection. After all, we shouldn’t punish or discriminate against anyone for being who they are.

UPDATE:

Tommy Christoper over at Mediaite notices the study was commissioned by actor Collin Firth in a “light-hearted” attempt to discredit conservatives, and it has yet to be peer-reviewed.

“I took this on as a fairly frivolous exercise: I just decided to find out what was biologically wrong with people who don’t agree with me and see what scientists had to say about it and they actually came up with something,” Firth admitted.

It’s probably fair to say this is a case of an already-held conclusion (not simply a hypothesis) searching for evidence.

Carol Kelly

Were any of the 93 test cases Muslim? That would be an interesting look and see inside their brains (or is that r****t)!

robmull Loc: florida

You sure got that Alinsky thing (D)own-pat, 48. The "already held conclusion" was about "lefty!!!" Long ago!!! "A severe chronic mental (D)isorder," was certainly the "conclusion." Perhaps you should attempt "spinning" that "conclusion," on another venue, and you may even get away-with-it. Not here!!! GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PRESIDENT '45" DONALD J. {BORN AGAIN} TRUMP (R); JUST LIKE THE WEATHER!!!

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

Get away with what, Robmull I would've thought even you would figure out that the article (even without my give-a-way opening quote from it) was one that mocked/demeaned articles claiming similar hypotheses on opposing viewpoints/ideologies other than ones own. I have to assume you didn't even read the entire article, as it reinforced what I state here throughout the piece...to include the 'update.'

For example... By John Rickman, Feb 17, 2008

Several years after a Federally-funded study found that conservatism was a mental disorder, a right-wing psychiatrist released a book, timed for the e******n cycle, claiming the same things about Liberals. Were we to believe that this is a coincidence?

Little known shrink and political hack Dr. Lyle Rossiter released a new book entitled "The Liberal Mind: The Psychological Causes of Political Madness" that was designed to feed the red meat hunger of right-wing ideologues at a time when the conservative movement was on the ropes after seven years of incompetence and corruption under George W. Bush. Most of its claims are not so subtle reversals of the conclusions reached by four distinguished scholars that were funded by the US Government in a study to discover the roots of conservatism.

The report "Political Conservatism as Motivated Social Cognition" cost $1.2 million and was supervised by the National Foundation as well as the National Institutes of Health. It found that conservatism is essentially a set of neuroses rooted in "fear and aggression, dogmatism and the intolerance of ambiguity".

In an article published in the highly respected peer reviewed scholarly journal "Psychological Bulletin" the authors state: "This intolerance of ambiguity can lead people to cling to the familiar, to arrive at premature conclusions, and to impose simplistic cliches and stereotypes"

At the time that this report came out conservatives were outraged and dismissed the whole thing as merely the opinion of the scientists involved. It is highly amusing now to watch conservatives fall all over themselves to tout Dr. Rossiter unscientific and undocumented political scree simply because it gave them comfort in the face of their pending humiliation at the polls come November (2008).

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/250462#ixzz4jFIwHzMY

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/250462#ixzz4jFBa2DlL

Researchers from both sides of the political aisle come up with expected conclusions, as they are produced to provide support for confirmation biases. As SuperDave wrote on a similar thread, and I wholeheartedly agree..."Many who claim to be experts are themselves zealots, so it is difficult to wade through the crap to get to the nugget."

lpnmajor Loc: Arkansas

Well, that certainly conflicts with the scientific study that proves that liberals have brain disease. If any of this is to accepted as valid science, then everyone has a brain disease. Than again, we do accept this premise in many areas. Try going to a mental health professional and get a clean bill of health.

Humans are prone to this phenomena in everything they do, because they believe themselves to be smarter than they actually are. One would have to admit to fallibility in order to accept that one could be wrong, and that ability simply isn't in our DNA. To achieve success, one must first believe that one can succeed. The second requirement is to deal with reality and do the work necessary to achieve one's goals. Humans are lazy and would rather succeed by believing that they already have.

Here is the ruling human concept: This is so, because I want it to be so, I believe that I am always right - so it must be so.

badbobby Loc: texas

very good Doc
BTW
I admitted to being wrong once
but I wasn't correct
and on and on---

badbobby Loc: texas

though you may be correct Slat
I'd just as soon you not call me a zealot

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

I did not say all experts were zealots, BB. In any event, you're not a zealot. You are a Swabbie.

badbobby Loc: texas

well that's true
and you're a Jarhead
status quo

Morgan

You mean I'm not always right? Wait, let me process this...

Morgan

I've read this before along with the one referred to with the l*****ts psychosis, funny and interesting with some t***h, but what is really ironic is that it proves the left and right actually need each other in order to have a good balance, who'd a thought

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

You've always had exceptional insight, Morgan.

Morgan

Thank you and you always have a poignant posts