Are right-wingers dumb?

Why do the right, confronted with evidence contrary to their belief systems, prefer to invent their own facts? Why have a number of studies shown a statistically significant correlation between lower intelligence and having racist, or other prejudiced beliefs? Well it appears that there is an element of truth in conservatives being dumber. It is not that they are born less intelligent, but they “use” their brain in a different way.

Studies in psychology show that certain kinds of people use that part of the brain – amygdala that processes fear more than that part that of the brain – anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) that processes uncertainties and conflicts. There is a correlation with those who are prejudiced having a larger amygdala and those who are more open, have a larger ACC region.

This is not a cause-effect issue, meaning that it is not because people have a more active amygdala that they are more conservative. It is also possible that in those that are fearful of change, the amygdala gets enlarged; if people are willing to deal with uncertainties, their ACC could grow more. The brain does not develop only on its own, it is also a product of our thinking.

Such low effort thinking happens not only to people who let their fears govern their responses. It also operates under conditions when our ability to think reduces. In a study carried out on people with different levels of alcohol, it was found that people became more conservative in their responses as alcohol level in their blood increases.

Similarly, if they were subjected simultaneously to other cognitive tasks, or asked to give answers with less time to respond, they again “became” more conservative. A lower effort in thinking is correlated with a more conservative response.It is not only in political thinking in which we see this kind of phenomena. We see it also, for example, among vaccine deniers, a group in the US that cuts across the political spectrum.

A study on vaccine deniers shows that irrespective of the way that vaccine deniers were approached, their desire to vaccinate their children did not increase. Even when they corrected their belief that vaccination does not cause the disease or autism - a belief prevalent among vaccine deniers -- they did not show any change in their opinion on the need to vaccinate their children. Some of the methods of communicating on the benefits of vaccination actually backfired: shown pictures of diseases that vaccination could prevent, the parents associated the vaccines with the disease. This is where the fear processing comes in.

Before even the cognitive processes start, the fear centre starts processing the “new” data whether it comes up against an existing belief system that sees such new data or facts as a danger to their belief system. For conservatives, the response is to change the facts. The less the person is willing to think about uncertainties, the more likely he or she is to stick her framework or belief system.

This is why, be it climate change, evolution, or closer home, mythical achievements of ancient Indian science, the right wingers come out with their “alternate” set of facts or even an alternate universe!All these studies also explain then why the right wing continuously does fear mongering. In India, why do the right spread the myth “the Muslims are growing faster than Hindus”, even when figures show that corrected for economic status, there is no difference between the growth rate of the two communities.

So how do the left approach the people? Do we approach the people with same strategy as the right? Make them more scared about their future with the rise of the right? Talk how our future is in danger with the current set of policies? Can we also use fear as an instrument as the right?The answer is that a similar approach by the left will not succeed. Increasing fear as a strategy – even when there is a genuine threat to the people – will lead to more conservative responses and chances of people moving further to the right. Fear promotes conservatism and not a radical response. (http://newsclick.in/)

By Prabir Purkayastha