thinking on the right(wing) side of the brain

Exploring the neurobiology of politics, scientists have found thatliberals tolerate ambiguity and conflict better than conservativesbecause of how their brains work.  In a simple experiment reported todayin the journal NatureNeuroscience, scientists at New York University and UCLA show thatpolitical orientation is related to differences in how the brainprocesses information.  Previous psychological studies havefound that conservatives tend to be more structured and persistent intheir judgments whereas liberals are more open to new experiences. Thelatest study found those traits are not confined to politicalsituations but also influence everyday decisions. The results show “there are two cognitive styles — a liberal style anda conservative style,” said UCLA neurologist Dr. Marco Iacoboni, whowas not connected to the latest research.  Participants were college students whose politics ranged from “veryliberal” to “very conservative.” They were instructed to tap a keyboardwhen an M appeared on a computer monitor and to refrain from tappingwhen they saw a W.  M appeared four times more frequently than W, conditioning participants to press a key in knee-jerk fashion….

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