http://www.livescience.com/othernews/060124_political_decisions.html

Quote :

"Democrats and Republicans alike are adept at making decisions without letting the facts get in the way, a new study shows. And they get quite a rush from ignoring information that's contrary to their point of view. Researchers asked staunch party members from both sides to evaluate information that threatened their preferred candidate prior to the 2004 Presidential election. The subjects' brains were monitored while they pondered. (...) The test subjects on both sides of the political aisle reached totally biased conclusions by ignoring information that could not rationally be discounted, Westen and his colleagues say. Then, with their minds made up, brain activity ceased in the areas that deal with negative emotions such as disgust. But activity spiked in the circuits involved in reward, a response similar to what addicts experience when they get a fix, Westen explained...."

yep, sounds about right

[Edited on January 25, 2006 at 9:52 PM. Reason : s]

1/25/2006 9:51:57 PM

i gotta admit, it is a funny study.

1/25/2006 10:01:51 PM

Quote :

"The study points to a total lack of reason in political decision-making."

check

Quote :

""None of the circuits involved in conscious reasoning were particularly engaged," Westen said. "Essentially, it appears as if partisans twirl the cognitive kaleidoscope until they get the conclusions they want, and then they get massively reinforced for it, with the elimination of negative emotional states and activation of positive ones.""

check

Quote :

"Notably absent were any increases in activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain most associated with reasoning."

ya check

1/25/2006 10:04:19 PM

i'm completely fine with this

when me and my polar opposite best friend argue, sometimes i wonder where the stuff i say comes from...

i really just like to argue

i don't think its a coincedence that when clinton was in office i was a staunch republican
and now that bush is in office many people think i'm a flaming liberal

1/25/2006 10:52:38 PM

In short, you're a troll?

1/25/2006 10:59:02 PM

hahahahaha

sure

1/25/2006 11:00:10 PM

Quote :

"i really just like to argue"

try being friends with Kris and not having this problem.

1/25/2006 11:30:10 PM

Im gonna hijack this thread to ask teh Foot of Wood a ?...

Did you take any econ or business classes at Campbell? I have a friend in grad school there right now thats been telling me some pretty way-out stuff that they apparently teach as a standard down there (ie: creating a false Marxist/Leninist connection with the EU, making up figures about gov. employment in Europe, etc).

I mean, he doesnt care, he's more conservative than I.

1/25/2006 11:40:03 PM

Quote :

"Im gonna hijack this thread to ask teh Foot of Wood a ?..."

wtf asshole SEND A FUCKING PM

1/25/2006 11:52:35 PM

i don't think i took business classes

1/26/2006 12:11:22 AM

News to electorate. Not to the elected.

1/26/2006 3:52:22 AM