The Republican Brain: The Science of Why They Deny Science--and Reality

[poet]

http://www.amazon.com/The-Republican.../dp/1118094514


Bestselling author Chris Mooney uses cutting-edge research to explain the psychology behind why today’s Republicans reject reality—it's just part of who they are.
From climate change to evolution, the rejection of mainstream science among Republicans is growing, as is the denial of expert consensus on the economy, American history, foreign policy and much more. Why won't Republicans accept things that most experts agree on? Why are they constantly fighting against the facts?

Science writer Chris Mooney explores brain scans, polls, and psychology experiments to explain why conservatives today believe more wrong things; appear more likely than Democrats to oppose new ideas and less likely to change their beliefs in the face of new facts; and sometimes respond to compelling evidence by doubling down on their current beliefs.

Goes beyond the standard claims about ignorance or corporate malfeasance to discover the real, scientific reasons why Republicans reject the widely accepted findings of mainstream science, economics, and history—as well as many undeniable policy facts (e.g., there were no “death panels” in the health care bill).
Explains that the political parties reflect personality traits and psychological needs—with Republicans more wedded to certainty, Democrats to novelty—and this is the root of our divide over reality.
Written by the author of The Republican War on Science, which was the first and still the most influential book to look at conservative rejection of scientific evidence. But the rejection of science is just the beginning…
Certain to spark discussion and debate


Review
"Drawing on a growing body of empirical research, he provides an intelligent, nuanced and persuasive account of how conservatives and liberals tend to differ at the level of psychology and personality" (Financial Times, April 2012)
From the Inside Flap
Why do so many Republicans believe man-made climate change is a hoax? The two most common explanations are that the deniers are uninformed or that they have been bought off by corporate money. Bestselling author Chris Mooney isn't buying either of those arguments. In fact, as he points out, the better educated a conservative is, the more likely he is to dismiss climate change concerns. How can that be?
Part of the answer lies with motivated reasoning—the psychological phenomenon of preferring only evidence that backs up your belief—but in The Republican Brain, Mooney explains that is just the tip of the cognitive iceberg. There is a growing body of evidence that conservatives and liberals don't just have differing ideologies; they have different psychologies. How could the rejection of mainstream science be growing among Republicans, along with the denial of expert consensus on the economy, American history, foreign policy, and much more? Why won't Republicans accept things that most experts agree on? Why are they constantly fighting against the facts? Increasingly, the answer appears to be: it's just part of who they are.

Mooney explores brain scans, polls, and psychology experiments to explain why conservatives today believe more wrong things; appear more likely than Democrats to oppose new ideas; are less likely to change their beliefs in the face of new facts; and sometimes respond to compelling evidence by doubling down on their current beliefs.

The answer begins with some measurable personality traits that strongly correspond with political preferences. For instance, people more wedded to certainty tend to become conservatives; people craving novelty, liberals. Surprisingly, openness to new experiences and fastidiousness are better predictors of political preference than income or education. If you like to keep your house neat and see the world in a relatively black and white way, you're probably going to vote Republican. If you've recently moved to a big city to see what else life has to offer, you're probably going to vote Democrat. These basic differences in openness and curiosity, Mooney argues, fuel an "expertise gap" between left and right that explains much of the battle today over what is true.

Being a good liberal, Mooney also has to explore the implications of these findings for Democrats as well. Are they really wishy-washy flip-floppers? Well, sometimes. Can't they be just as dogmatic about issues close to their hearts, like autism and vaccines, or nuclear power? His research leads to some surprising conclusions.

While the evolutionary advantages of both liberal and conservative psychologies seem obvious, clashes between them in modern life have led to a crisis in our politics. A significant chunk of the electorate, it seems, will never accept the facts as they are, no matter how strong the evidence. Understanding the psychology of the left and the right, Mooney argues, should therefore fundamentally alter the way we approach the he-said-he-said of public debates.

Certain to spark discussion and debate, The Republican Brain also promises to add to the lengthy list of persuasive scientific findings that Republicans reject and deny.




LMAO.

[PostmodernProphet]

and all this time we thought it was simply because we could see through the paucity of liberal arguments....go figure....

[poet]

and all this time we thought it was simply because we could see through the paucity of liberal arguments....go figure....

when was the last time you recall a liberal argument having paucity? LOL. Detailed, of course.

[BRUTALITOPS]

gotta love dehumanizing large swaths of people.

When I stay this stuff, like how certain people are delusional or whatever, I am being tongue in cheek, I don't actually believe most of what I say in those regards. Anyone saying X has a mental illness because they disagree with me has real internal issues that they need to free themselves from

[poet]

gotta love dehumanizing large swaths of people.

When I stay this stuff, like how certain people are delusional or whatever, I am being tongue in cheek, I don't actually believe most of what I say in those regards. Anyone saying X has a mental illness because they disagree with me has real internal issues that they need to free themselves from

If only you could stay away from drugs...you could be coherent.

[Cancel 2016.2]

So when Democrats deny science... as in climate research and genetics... tell us what that means poet... please please please.

[Mott the Hoople]

So when Democrats deny science... as in climate research and genetics... tell us what that means poet... please please please.

You mean the climate research being done by the Petroleum Institute of American and mining engineers from Montana?

[Cancel 2016.2]

You mean the climate research being done by the Petroleum Institute of American and mining engineers from Montana?

Lol... CO2 still rising... temps flatlining. Computer models breaking down. Only the government 'scientists' (aka lackies) are clinging to the man made global warming myth.

The data doesn't lie. The models were wrong. No matter how much you global warming fear mongering denialists proclaim 'consensus', the data doesn't lie

[poet]

This message is hidden because Superfreak is on your ignore list.

[BRUTALITOPS]

damn superfreak what'd you do to poet? i thought you guys were kissing and making up

[Cancel 2016.2]

damn superfreak what'd you do to poet? i thought you guys were kissing and making up

yeah... I learned the hard way... ya just can't please a racist like poet. His idea of trying to get along is for the other person to do and say exactly what he wants.

[Cancel 2016.2]

This message is hidden because Superfreak is on your ignore list.

That isn't what it looks like when you actually have someone on ignore poet. You just can't quit me, can you? Ya racist old bastard.

[poet]

This message is hidden because Superfreak is on your ignore list.

[poet]

damn superfreak what'd you do to poet? i thought you guys were kissing and making up

Where have you been? You thought the same thing of the two of us. LMAO

[Cancel 2016.2]

This message is hidden because Superfreak is on your ignore list.

I am soooooooooooooooooooooooo hurt...