Comments on: Study finds liberal-conservative difference in brain functioning http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/09/10/study-finds-liberal-conservative-difference-in-brain-functioning/ Thoughts by Stephen Soldz on war, peace, politics, psychoanalysis, and research methods Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:11:54 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Left or Right wing? Its all biology- not politics - Science Forums http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/09/10/study-finds-liberal-conservative-difference-in-brain-functioning/comment-page-1/#comment-199452 Left or Right wing? Its all biology- not politics - Science Forums Sat, 06 Sep 2008 04:36:25 +0000 http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/09/10/study-finds-liberal-conservative-difference-in-brain-functioning/#comment-199452 [...] a link to a real media source <...> Which talks about a Los Angeles times story found here:Study finds left-wing brain, right-wing brainWhich talks about a study published in Nature Neuroscience. It doesn't name the study, but [...] [...] a link to a real media source <…> Which talks about a Los Angeles times story found here:Study finds left-wing brain, right-wing brainWhich talks about a study published in Nature Neuroscience. It doesn’t name the study, but [...]

]]> By: Brain Wiring Redux - Science Forums http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/09/10/study-finds-liberal-conservative-difference-in-brain-functioning/comment-page-1/#comment-181507 Brain Wiring Redux - Science Forums Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:20:25 +0000 http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/09/10/study-finds-liberal-conservative-difference-in-brain-functioning/#comment-181507 [...] Maybe some people interested in scientific inquiry would thoughtfully consider these articles. Psyche, Science, and Society » Study finds liberal-conservative difference in brain functioning Right and Left Brain Hemispheric Biases in Political and Religious [...]

]]> By: The Black Pearl http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/09/10/study-finds-liberal-conservative-difference-in-brain-functioning/comment-page-1/#comment-158744 The Black Pearl Thu, 20 Mar 2008 01:47:09 +0000 http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/09/10/study-finds-liberal-conservative-difference-in-brain-functioning/#comment-158744 it turns out that personality differences between liberals and conservatives are evident in early childhood. In 1969, Berkeley professors Jack and Jeanne Block embarked on a study of childhood personality, asking nursery school teachers to rate children's temperaments. They weren't even thinking about political orientation. Twenty years later, they decided to compare the subjects' childhood personalities with their political preferences as adults. They found arresting patterns. As kids, liberals had developed close relationships with peers and were rated by their teachers as self-reliant, energetic, impulsive, and resilient. People who were conservative at age 23 had been described by their teachers as easily victimized, easily offended, indecisive, fearful, rigid, inhibited, and vulnerable at age 3. The reason for the difference, the Blocks hypothesized, was that insecure kids most needed the reassurance of tradition and authority, and they found it in conservative politics. it turns out that personality differences between liberals and conservatives are evident in early childhood. In 1969, Berkeley professors Jack and Jeanne Block embarked on a study of childhood personality, asking nursery school teachers to rate children’s temperaments. They weren’t even thinking about political orientation.

Twenty years later, they decided to compare the subjects’ childhood personalities with their political preferences as adults. They found arresting patterns. As kids, liberals had developed close relationships with peers and were rated by their teachers as self-reliant, energetic, impulsive, and resilient. People who were conservative at age 23 had been described by their teachers as easily victimized, easily offended, indecisive, fearful, rigid, inhibited, and vulnerable at age 3. The reason for the difference, the Blocks hypothesized, was that insecure kids most needed the reassurance of tradition and authority, and they found it in conservative politics.

]]> By: Joe Papp http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/09/10/study-finds-liberal-conservative-difference-in-brain-functioning/comment-page-1/#comment-108371 Joe Papp Wed, 12 Sep 2007 15:26:32 +0000 http://psychoanalystsopposewar.org/blog/2007/09/10/study-finds-liberal-conservative-difference-in-brain-functioning/#comment-108371 Similar work about 4 years ago. Using PET scans. More "emotional center" response to pictures of conservative versus liberal figures in confessed liberals..Versus "objective area" response in conservatives. Also, New York cabbies, post mortem, have higher developed neural density in area of brain responsible for direction/orientation. Similarily stringed instrument players (post mortem) have area with higher neural density, than non-stringed instrument players. Conclusion: Circumstances, enviroment, CAN influence brain development and preferences. Good news, we can change things by what we do. Bad news, we might become more and more "locked" with time. Joe Similar work about 4 years ago. Using PET scans.

More “emotional center” response to pictures of conservative versus liberal figures in confessed liberals..Versus “objective area” response in conservatives.

Also, New York cabbies, post mortem, have higher developed neural density in area of brain responsible for direction/orientation.

Similarily stringed instrument players (post mortem) have area with higher neural density, than non-stringed instrument players.

Conclusion: Circumstances, enviroment, CAN influence brain development and preferences. Good news, we can change things by what we do.

Bad news, we might become more and more “locked” with time.

Joe

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