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The “chicken-and-egg” problem in political neuroscience

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 June 2014

John T. Jost
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY 10003. john.jost@nyu.eduwww.psych.nyu.edu/jost/noorbaloochi@nyu.edujay.vanbavel@nyu.eduwww.psych.nyu.edu/vanbavel/
Sharareh Noorbaloochi
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY 10003. john.jost@nyu.eduwww.psych.nyu.edu/jost/noorbaloochi@nyu.edujay.vanbavel@nyu.eduwww.psych.nyu.edu/vanbavel/
Jay J. Van Bavel
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY 10003. john.jost@nyu.eduwww.psych.nyu.edu/jost/noorbaloochi@nyu.edujay.vanbavel@nyu.eduwww.psych.nyu.edu/vanbavel/

Abstract

A comprehensive review by Hibbing et al. establishes close links between physiological and psychological responses and ideological preferences. However, existing research cannot resolve the “chicken-and-egg problem” in political neuroscience: Which is cause and which is effect? We consider the possibility, which they reject, that general ideological postures, if consistently adopted, could shape psychological and physiological functioning.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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