As I was reading an article entitled “The Biology of Us and Them” by Robert Sapolsky, Stanford Professor of Biology and Neurology, in which he discusses how our brain reacts when to those like us and those who are different in some way. How, from a very early age, we embrace those who are like us and are distant and cautious of those who are not like us. And how this applies to joining groups that then are hostile to other groups. Being a fan of a soccer team and hostile to fans from other teams, Being a Christian hostile to Muslims. Us and Them and how the structure and function of our brains guide and react in this process.
It made me wonder about what impact religion and politics have on the Us and Them brain function and if there is a physical predisposition that guides us to our preferences.
Religion – Depending on the intensity of the religious belief and the way it is practiced studies have found that activity in the pre-frontal cortex, (involved in willful behavior), is decreased. Additionally when thinking about a savior and being with family for eternity and heavenly rewards raises the level of serotonin, “the happiness” neurotransmitter. And the euphoria-inducing molecules – endorphins.
Politics – An article by Nigel Barber, Ph.D. in Psychology Today discusses the “conservative brain”. The initial finding is that the amygdala, (the part of the brain which regulates emotions such as fear and anxiety [fight or flight] responses), is larger in those who profess to be politically conservative. What this seems to mean is that conservatives are afraid of change, concerned about safety both national and personal and are anti-intellectual.
If these physiological differences truly play a part in how we see the world – is there any factual or logical way to impact the beliefs of religions and / or conservative individuals?