Anybody who has ever had an argument with someone of a different political persuasion knows this is true:
The study points to a total lack of reason in political decision-making.
"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."
Notably absent were any increases in activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain most associated with reasoning.
So, partisans of all stripes stubbornly hold onto their positions by ignoring all evidence that contradicts them. Boy, I have so noticed that, when people just keep arguing with me when simple common sense should tell them I am right.
