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Judi Lynn

(160,211 posts)
Mon Feb 22, 2021, 06:18 AM Feb 2021

Psychological 'signature' for the extremist mind uncovered by Cambridge researchers

21-FEB-2021

UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
Research News


Researchers have mapped an underlying "psychological signature" for people who are predisposed to holding extreme social, political or religious attitudes, and support violence in the name of ideology.

A new study suggests that a particular mix of personality traits and unconscious cognition - the ways our brains take in basic information - is a strong predictor for extremist views across a range of beliefs, including nationalism and religious fervour.

These mental characteristics include poorer working memory and slower "perceptual strategies" - the unconscious processing of changing stimuli, such as shape and colour - as well as tendencies towards impulsivity and sensation seeking.

This combination of cognitive and emotional attributes predicts the endorsement of violence in support of a person's ideological "group", according to findings published today in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B.

More:
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-02/uoc-pf021721.php

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Psychological 'signature' for the extremist mind uncovered by Cambridge researchers (Original Post) Judi Lynn Feb 2021 OP
sounds like the 1 qnut i know. mopinko Feb 2021 #1
'poorer working memory' plus 'slower "perceptual strategies"' speak easy Feb 2021 #2
dull minds without boundaries bucolic_frolic Feb 2021 #3
Interesting profile of conservative extremists wnylib Feb 2021 #4
Are they Republicans who watch FOX and listen to RW radio all day? There. Saved you a lot FailureToCommunicate Feb 2021 #5
ADHD Actually FrankTC Feb 2021 #6
Interesting thoughts! "outrage activation may serve a biological function" lagomorph777 Feb 2021 #7
Kickin' Faux pas Feb 2021 #8
I just ran across another similar citation and the full article in the Royal Society B erronis Feb 2021 #9

mopinko

(69,805 posts)
1. sounds like the 1 qnut i know.
Mon Feb 22, 2021, 08:07 AM
Feb 2021

a devout catholic but also a burner and a druggie.
in a long term relationship, but always got somethin on the side, so when she kicks him out he has a couch. that's his idea of how to manage a relationship.
looking under everyone's bed for pedos, but still good w the church.

smart guy. rly smart. but lost his law license for growing pot. now a paralegal who deals weed to the partners.

speak easy

(9,100 posts)
2. 'poorer working memory' plus 'slower "perceptual strategies"'
Mon Feb 22, 2021, 08:27 AM
Feb 2021

There are more common words for this combination

wnylib

(21,146 posts)
4. Interesting profile of conservative extremists
Mon Feb 22, 2021, 08:48 AM
Feb 2021

and seems to fit pretty well what we have seen in foreign and domestic terrorism.

I am curious what the profile would be for extremists on the left. As leftists, we don't like to believe that there can be extremists on our side of the political spectrum, but it does happen. What would be the profile of people who supported the comminist revolution in Cuba, the Soviet Russian government, and the Vietnamese who fought on behalf of a communist reunion of north and south? All of those movements began on the left, and with good cause against conservative dictatorships. They involved nationalism, strong ideological beliefs, and violence in the form of terroristic attacks and wars, not to mention genocidal purges in Soviet Russia once the new system was in power.

I'd be interested in knowing what leads to extremism to the point of rigid ideology and violence from either side of the political spectrum.

FailureToCommunicate

(13,989 posts)
5. Are they Republicans who watch FOX and listen to RW radio all day? There. Saved you a lot
Mon Feb 22, 2021, 08:55 AM
Feb 2021

of research.

The Republican "brain" is wired differently. Very little empathy. Looks out for self. Narrow worldview...etc.

Here is the study cited in the article: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2019-44422-001?doi=1

FrankTC

(210 posts)
6. ADHD Actually
Mon Feb 22, 2021, 09:31 AM
Feb 2021

Many individuals with ADHD are characterized by working memory deficits, slower processing speed, and stimulation (or thrill) seeking. The finding suggests that extremists are attracted to their views (OMG pedophiles in the basement eating pizza with sauteed babies!) due to the activating effects of the cataclysmic perceptions. Disclaimer: Not everyone with ADHD is an extremist, some people with ADHD are not thrill seeking, etc, because there are different types. But the classic type generally involves underarousal in the prefrontal cortex for which stimulant medication or stimulating beliefs may bring relief. Also: I haven't read the research report, and I imagine there are other factors that contribute to the end product of Fox News addiction. But the research finding suggests that intense outrage activation may serve a biological function.

lagomorph777

(30,613 posts)
7. Interesting thoughts! "outrage activation may serve a biological function"
Mon Feb 22, 2021, 10:14 AM
Feb 2021

You hint that this kind of craziness (e.g. Qpublicanism) might possibly be amenable to medical treatment.

I hope you're right.

Next question: How do we get them to treatment?

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