… We don’t just loathe inconsistencies in others; we hate them in ourselves, too. But why? What makes contradictions so revolting — and should they be? … Using neuroscience to track the activation of different brain regions, Professor Harmon-Jones and colleagues found that inconsistent beliefs really bother us only when […] Read more »
Fear of the government makes Americans more likely to reach for a gun
Americans are scared of the government. Political corruption is at the top of US citizens’ most common fears, according to a recent survey conducted by researchers at California’s Chapman University. They’re also worried about cyberterrorism and very concerned about their privacy being invaded by corporations or the government. Perhaps less […] Read more »
Mexico’s Governing Party Vows to Stop Using Neuromarketing to Study Voters
The leader of Mexico’s governing party has said that it will stop hiring neuroscience consultants to register voters’ brain waves and read their facial expressions, responding to a political outcry over its use of the tools of neuromarketing to shape its campaign and governing messages. CONT. Elisabeth Malkin & Kevin […] Read more »
Neuropolitics, Where Campaigns Try to Read Your Mind
… All over the world, political campaigns are seeking voter data and insights that will propel them to victory. Now, in an increasing number of places, that includes the contentious field known as neuromarketing — or in this case, neuropolitics. Technologies like facial coding, biofeedback and brain imaging have long […] Read more »
Scary Politics
… Rational decisions come from weighing the pros and cons of a policy. But when fear enters the equation, people give more weight and importance to some considerations than they actually deserve. Chapman University’s latest annual survey of American fears, which came out in mid-October, provides some insights. … Nearly […] Read more »
Why the views of ‘political experts’ may be just as biased and error ridden as those of ‘non-experts’
… Despite the largely uncritical acceptance of the concept of political expertise among political pundits, theorists, and political scientists, there is precious little evidence to support the claim that politically knowledgeable citizens form their opinions in a manner befitting the term “expertise.” In fact, when we have looked at the […] Read more »