How Partison Brains Work...sm
Posted By: Democrat on 2006-07-31
In Reply to:
Hmmmm...I must admit, this is very interesting.
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How the Brain Helps Partisans Admit No Gray
By Shankar Vedantam
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, July 31, 2006; Page A02
President Bush came to Washington promising to be a uniter, but public opinion polls show that apart from a burst of camaraderie after Sept. 11, 2001, America is more bitterly divided and partisan than ever.
We'll leave the pundits to pontificate on the politics, and instead explore a more interesting phenomenon: People who see the world in black and white rarely seem to take in information that could undermine their positions.
Psychological experiments in recent years have shown that people are not evenhanded when they process information, even though they believe they are. (When people are asked whether they are biased, they say no. But when asked whether they think other people are biased, they say yes.) Partisans who watch presidential debates invariably think their guy won. When talking heads provide opinions after the debate, partisans regularly feel the people with whom they agree are making careful, reasoned arguments, whereas the people they disagree with sound like they have cloth for brains.
Unvaryingly, partisans also believe that partisans on the other side are far more ideologically extreme than they actually are, said Stanford University psychologist Mark Lepper, who has studied how people watch presidential debates.
Although it is satisfying to think that your side is right and the other side consists of morons, the systematic errors that can be documented in partisan perception suggest something deeper than deliberate tunnel vision. (Last Monday, this space was devoted to the curious phenomenon of the hostile media effect, in which pro-Israeli and pro-Arab partisans shown the same TV clips both came to the conclusion that the news accounts were heavily biased in favor of the other side.) What explains these distortions in perception?
In an experiment that polls may want to note closely, researchers recently plopped 10 Republicans and 10 Democrats into scanners that measure changes in brain-blood oxygenation. Such changes are thought to be linked to increases or decreases in particular areas of brain activity.
Each of the partisans was repeatedly shown images of President Bush and 2004 Democratic challenger John F. Kerry.
When Republicans saw Kerry (or Democrats saw Bush) there was increased activation in brain areas called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is near the temple, and the anterior cingulate cortex, which is in the middle of the head. Both these regions are involved in regulating emotions. (If you are eating an ice cream cone on a hot day and your ice cream falls on the sidewalk and you get upset, these areas of your brain remind you that it is only an ice cream, that not eating the ice cream can help keep those pounds off, and similar rationalizations.) More straightforwardly, Republicans and Democrats also showed activation in two other brain areas involved in negative emotion, the insula and the temporal pole. It makes perfect sense, of course, why partisans would feel negatively about the candidate they dislike, but what explains the activation of the cognitive regulatory system?
Turns out, rather than turning down their negative feelings as they might do with the fallen ice cream, partisans turn up their negative emotional response when they see a photo of the opposing candidate, said Jonas Kaplan, a psychologist at the University of California at Los Angeles.
In other words, without knowing it themselves, the partisans were jealously guarding against anything that might lower their antagonism. Turning up negative feelings, of course, is a good way to make sure your antagonism stays strong and healthy.
My feeling is, in the political process, people come to decisions early on and then spend the rest of the time making themselves feel good about their decision, Kaplan said.
Although it seems paradoxical that people would want to make themselves feel poorly, Kaplan said partisans have a strong interest in feeling poorly about the candidate they are not going to vote for as that cements their belief that they are doing the right thing.
Democrats looking at Bush may have some positive feelings about the fact he is their leader, so the process of convincing yourself this is someone you don't like when you intend not to vote for him makes sense, he said.
The result reflects a larger phenomenon in which people routinely discount information that threatens their preexisting beliefs, said Emory University psychologist Drew Westen, who has conducted brain-scan experiments that show partisans swiftly spot hypocrisy and inconsistencies -- but only in the opposing candidate.
When presented with evidence showing the flaws of their candidate, the same brain regions that Kaplan studied lighted up -- only this time partisans were unconsciously turning down feelings of aversion and unpleasantness.
The brain was trying to find a solution that would get rid of the distress and absolve the candidate of doing something slimy, Westen said. They would twirl the emotional kaleidoscope until it gave them a picture that was comfortable.
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Palin does have brains.
She could not have gotten where she is today without having brains especially since she started in the PTA and moved up. She didn't have mommy or daddy in politics bringing her name up every chance they got. She is a very admirable women, IMHO. I would be very proud to have her as VP. A woman who can raise 5 kids and be a governor......that is just remarkable. I admire the way she still had her youngest son even though the doctors told her he would have Down syndrome. She isn't afraid to stand up for what she believes. She is more of a real person to me. She hunts, she is a hockey mom. She is no b!mbo. And lastly....she is a beautiful woman and I'm not just speaking about her outer appearance. She cares. She is for the people. I think McCain made a great choice when he picked her.
Go McCain and Palin 2008!!! 
Finally!! Someone with brains!!
Sambo's ranting and raving backed up with her "so called" facts are actually quite laughable. And then......to top it off - we have the whiners who proclaim "she backs it up with facts." HA!! Sofa King Wee Todd id!!!! Baaa, baaaa - the sheep must follow. Amazing, absolutely amazing. Watching that mass - pizza the hut Sambo - go gurgling out into space in a blaze of fire just made my day. To you, my most sincerest respect.
You mean too many with brains giving in.
There is a big difference between intelligence and lack of cahones.
Those of us with actual brains, & can think for ourselves,
to make our decisions for us, tell us what to think or how to be, tell us whom to judge, or how to vote. From back in the days of the Crusades, religion has always been about a few men controlling other people. And they learned a long time ago that those who are most easily controlled are those with feeble minds and no free will.
Brains is one thing.
Kissing butt and praising yourself is a whole different story.
Because he's a leader, not a follower, he has brains,
he is his own man. That is why, no matter how loud you scream and how indignantly you protest, people are simply tuning out on this negative sludge. We want to see McCain develop some backbone, drop the school yead bully routine and talk about some issues. It's not too much to ask, just 3 weeks shy of the election.
Did you ever hear her speak??? She has NO BRAINS and
nm
I think brains like yours are the greatest danger
Muddle-headed citizens like you are precisely what the terrorists count on most.
Me thinks some people's brains do not reside in their heads. nm
.
For those whose brains can only handle sound byte mentality
For the rest of us, we need a little substance and certainly cannot take wild accusations with no verifiable or credible source in sight and pointless juvenile name calling too seriously on any level whatsoever.
Typical, make a nasty comment and run. You have no credibility with anyone with any brains. nm
.
That could work, PK.
but hey where do you work now
exMQMT? if you do not mind that is. Thanks!
Sam, please let me know where you work.
I am an excellent MT who would love to have enough free time to post messages on this board all day long, but the companies I work for require me to spend most of my day transcribing. I would love to find a company who would allow me the freedom that you have to spend hour-after-hour posting to my little heart's desire. Please point me in the right direction, as I would love to be as free as you are to repeatedly force my opinions on everyone who reads the MTStars board. You can e-mail me if you would like to keep this confidential. I want to be just like you!!!!!
no thanks, does not work for me.
I will never agree with you no matter what you say or do on this board -
As far as taxing rich democrats, I remember President Clinton objecting to not being taxed and coming forward that he was against that from the beginning.
{You really think it is fair for those who have been successful to redistribute their money to other people? Be punished for success? I do not get that mindset}
- hey you are trying to convince someone who is older than 50 that I do not deserve anything for my hard work for some 30+ years, not going to happen.
I am from the days when employers had to pay you what you were worth, health insurance, full benefits, etc etc. You will never ever convince me I am better off just by repeating it over and over.
Sorry, not interested in any how, any way or, any time for rich corps to have the right to make me work twice as hard for less, so they can send the majority of work overseas to avoid paying people decent wages or by contributing anything except by their own will to anything in this country at their own discretion. If I am forced to pay taxes, they should be also.
trickle down theory, what has trickled down to the middle class but hardship, suffering, back to slave labor and poor working conditions...
Sending work overseas and all the side-effects from that directly affects me and my family and our quality of life.
Fool me once, shame on me, fool me twice - not.
I have done all the work.....all you have to do
xx
Not quite sure how that will work
but I think he meant that they would look at the value of a house and renegotiate the mortgage based on the new value of the house since values have gone down. That way people aren't upside down with owing more than their home is worth. He isn't just going to buy up and pay for these mortgages.
I know who most will have to work for
The government.....sadly enough. That is socialism for ya!!!!!
And those that do not work get all of BOTH of
@@
Won't ever work
It's not the law-abiding hunter gun owners that you have to worry about. The bad guys will always find a way to get a gun, just like drugs. It doesn't matter what kind of law there is in place. Those laws just punish the rest of us.
I don't know how this should work......nm
Then the whole responsibility would be with the people.
okay .. i have to get to work
you want to research it
the one I am talking about was posted the day after the election
and it was changed on saturday or sunday ...
the site I saw the images posted has archived that and I am not sure how to retreive it.
believe me or not, it is your choice.
and this "change" is just another reason I remain skeptical about the future administration.
peace out ..
work on your
excessive focus on what "they" think and do. Spend more time on what you think and do. Works everytime.
What I work on...
Working 2 full-time jobs 90+ hours a week, excessive focus on paying my own bills and staying afloat. Not much time for much else but sleep. Truth is truth, the reality is what it is, you know.
do you work in the
overused cliches department proliferation section?
If they don't work....(sm)
then they obviously need help making them work. Hence....funding.
You are probably right. SOME MT work may
nm
and, obviously, you don't work!
x
So you don't work?
Must not. And you think the KKK is gone? lol - sure you're black, uh-huh. whatever. Now I'm supposed to kiss your @$$? yeah, right.
Even those who work sometimes have
to get gov't assistance. Not all are lazy good for nothings as you depict, many are the elderly or the disabled. Who cares what they buy to eat.
I use to work for SS and if you are sm
an adult who has never paid in or do not have enough working credits you cannot draw SS disability. You can draw what is called SSI which is a social security supplement paid through your state to folks who don't qualify for SS or don't get enough.
Kids who get SS like Octomoms kids are getting SSI unless its a situation where a parent who was working died, then there are death benefits for minor children.
IF there is no SS for you when you retire it is not because of what people who are drawing it now are getting it is becasue our government has robbed the SS fund. Your SS benefits are based on what you have made in your lifetime. If the fund is still there and the government doesn't take it all, you will get exactly the amount you are suppose to get based on what you have made in your life time.
As far as these lawyers advertising to get benefits for folks who are depressed, alcoholic, whatever.......these people, again, cannot get regular SS disability benefits if they have not worked and paid in. These commercials don't tell you that. The attorneys can fight for SSI (the supplement) for their clients but not disability SS if not worked and paid in.
As far as someone with depression drawing benefits, there are many folks out there who suffer from debilitating depression who do deserve these benefits and are totally disabled. I do know the type you are talking about though, the deadbeats who draw benefits and then do everything else under the sun. I have seen it also. Then I have seen people with strokes and totally disabled who have to fight like dogs to get what they are entitled to. Its ridiculous. I just wanted to clear up the different funds that money come from.
Bottom line is for the regular SS disability benefit, if you have not worked and paid into it, you cannot draw it. You may be able to draw from SSI through your state but that is basically welfare and you have to qualify financially for that unlike social security disability.
I use to work for SS and if you are sm
an adult who has never paid in or do not have enough working credits you cannot draw SS disability. You can draw what is called SSI which is a social security supplement paid through your state to folks who don't qualify for SS or don't get enough.
Kids who get SS like Octomoms kids are getting SSI unless its a situation where a parent who was working died, then there are death benefits for minor children.
IF there is no SS for you when you retire it is not because of what people who are drawing it now are getting it is becasue our government has robbed the SS fund. Your SS benefits are based on what you have made in your lifetime. If the fund is still there and the government doesn't take it all, you will get exactly the amount you are suppose to get based on what you have made in your life time.
As far as these lawyers advertising to get benefits for folks who are depressed, alcoholic, whatever.......these people, again, cannot get regular SS disability benefits if they have not worked and paid in. These commercials don't tell you that. The attorneys can fight for SSI (the supplement) for their clients but not disability SS if not worked and paid in.
As far as someone with depression drawing benefits, there are many folks out there who suffer from debilitating depression who do deserve these benefits and are totally disabled. I do know the type you are talking about though, the deadbeats who draw benefits and then do everything else under the sun. I have seen it also. Then I have seen people with strokes and totally disabled who have to fight like dogs to get what they are entitled to. Its ridiculous. I just wanted to clear up the different funds that money come from.
Bottom line is for the regular SS disability benefit, if you have not worked and paid into it, you cannot draw it. You may be able to draw from SSI through your state but that is basically welfare and you have to qualify financially for that unlike social security disability.
Also if the government stops borrowing from SS and wasting it, you will get exactly what you worked and paid into. you can determine that by looking at your SS statement you get every year.
What works for you may not work
If you are a good Christian, good for you; be a shining example of your faith. But if in the process of being a good Christian you trample MY rights and/or faith, well, sorry, that isn't good. THAT is why I believe in the separation of church and state. We are all different and have different levels of development, spiritual and otherwise. God is the ONLY and ultimate judge; I believe we all come before Him to account for our lives. My relationship with God is between Him and me...no one else. I don't think it is the job of my fellow humans to judge me and and tell me, *My religion/faith is better than yours* I don't care how much YOU believe it.
I can't get the video to work...sm
But I read an interview on the web where he talks about the clash of civilizations. Will read more on what he has to say. I will agree this has gotten far bigger than politics - far.
For the record, I don't hate Bush I just don't think he is the best choice for president.
Thank you very much for such a good work
Congratulations on a great web site. I am a new computer user and finding you was like coming home. Continued success.
Hopefully the link will work
http://movies.crooksandliars.com/TCR-ABC-Path.mov
Works for me. But it will never work for you and we all know it. nm
nm
Link did not work, here it is sm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uhh89RVs3ps&mode=related&search=
Oh well, I guess it's not going to work....
You can find the same piece on the 2nd page of the MQ board (11/15) under "Christmas off???...What luck!!!! it seems to work there just fine. 
That ought to work well for you, at least for tonight.
nm
Doesn't work that way.
IF Obama gets in, then Hilary can't run against him next time. He would be the incumbent, and I don't see her jumping ships.
She can run against McCain in 2012...
Work less, earn less.....
Well, that is called socialism to the core. Those that make less think they have a right to those that make more, but do they ever think WHY someone else makes more? Maybe a higher education, many many many longer hours and a MUCH harder job?
My husband has worked his butt off for 30+ years and made a good salary for it. But there are sacrifices made along the way. So he should be penalized because he worked his way through college, struggled the entire time, worked his way up in a company and has paid his dues? No, I don't think so.
If you want more money, get a higher education and go work for it just like he did.
sorry 'bout that...this one should work
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/24/eveningnews/main4476173.shtml
That one doesn't work either. What's it about? nm
.
and you work with words all day? sad.
x
heck, why work?
x
I work hard and get no help from anybody.
nm
Why don't any of your links work? nm
.
Start at the top and work you way down.
then why not remove yourself from the dialog?
I'm here - been swamped with work
Just thought I'd check the board before signing off. I've been swamped with work the past couple days. I also decided to not post for awhile because no matter what I posted I was cut down by others. I was posting my opinions like others do, and posted articles I found of interest and got the usual cut downs. So I saved my sanity for awhile by not doing anything. I did read a couple posts below and see more insults, so at least it's not only me (not sure if that's a good thing). LOL. Anyway...it's going to be a very interesting day tomorrow and hope whoever wins whether it's McCain or Obama there will be some decency and just not coming on to gloat no matter which side wins. Will hope once this election is over time will mend hurt feelings.
I'll be the first to admit it does look like Obama will win (if you are going by the polls), but I'll also be the first to say you can't judge everything by the polls and then I'm reminded of last election and what happened. So mix that in with mostly democratic areas being polled, voter registration fraud, and all that, I've learned not to count on the polls too heavily. One thing for sure, it will be interesting day.
There has been a lot of animosity on this board and everyone is entitled to their opinions. I would have liked to have asked some serious questions, but I have learned just to keep silent as I was called a racist among other things. Didn't matter that I was basing my vote on issues, and that I am a black woman, and that I voted for Obama in the primaries, I just kept getting screamed at that I was a racist because I was not voting for Obama. So, figured I'd take a break from here and focus my time on my work and some other projects. It is sad though that people cannot express opinions without getting cut down, and then watching others pat each other on the back for being hurtful towards others. I was even going back through the past couple days to see what I missed and I saw someone say "Oh look a Kaydie clone". So just another nasty smear towards me without any real reason for it. Just not worth the headache anymore.
So for me, I will be working tomorrow and keeping my ears open through the day as to how the election goes. I may post again on this board just not sure at this point. I may just stick to the Gab board as that is a little more uplifting. Haven't decided yet.
Thanks for the "what happened to Kaydie message", didn't think anyone would notice I haven't been on.
You're right. I think our work here is done.
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