Far-right and far-left brains react similarly to political content.
People with strong political beliefs, whether liberal or conservative, process political content similarly at a neurological level.
Why it matters
- Shows that extreme political views may be tied to stronger emotional reactions.
- Supports the "horseshoe theory", suggesting that political extremes may resemble each other more than they do moderates.
- Could help reduce hostility and increase understanding across the political divide.
By the numbers
- 44 participants across the political spectrum.
- Brain scans showed increased activity in areas associated with emotion and threat detection.
- Extreme individuals showed more synchronized brain responses.
The big picture
- Emotional reactions play a central role in ideological extremity.
- Extreme individuals process political content in similar ways, regardless of ideology.
- Findings suggest a shared neurological experience among political extremes.
What they're saying
- Some skepticism about methodology and definitions.
- Concerns about controlling for trauma and disinformation.
Caveats
- Small sample size.
- Limited to specific political topics (immigration and policing).
- Conducted only in the United States.
What’s next
- Further research to explore different political subjects and cultural contexts.
- Investigate how emotional processing might differ between moderates and extremes.