Study finds link between brain damage and religious fundamentalism

[Black Aliss]

Quote

A new study published in the journal Neuropsychologia has shown that religious fundamentalism is, in part, the result of a functional impairment in a brain region known as the prefrontal cortex. The findings suggest that damage to particular areas of the prefrontal cortex indirectly promotes religious fundamentalism by diminishing cognitive flexibility and openness—a psychology term that describes a personality trait which involves dimensions like curiosity, creativity, and open-mindedness.

More here:

www.rawstory.com/2017/05/study-finds-link-between-brain-damage-and-religious-fundamentalism/

[THERetroGamerNY]

This study doesn't mean what a lot of people are going to try and make it out to be.

"...we assessed religious adherence with a..: sample of 119 patients with penetrating traumatic brain injury (pTBI)."

Translation: If you had a knife deeply plunged into your brain, and survived, AND are a religious person - you're most likely going to become rigid and fundie.

It doesn't mean all fundies are walking around with anything like penetrating brain trauma. And I just know a few atheists would love to conceit themselves with "See?! They are all brain damaged!"

[BobTheWalrus]

I wonder why they chose to  focus on religious fundamentalism? Maybe because of its prevalence? I'd be interested to read more about further tests relating this to other kinds of fundamentalism, to see if there's a difference. The article mentioned that there seems to be a similar effect with political fundamentalism. It would be interesting to see if that kind of brain damage generally makes people express previously-held beliefs of any type in a more rigid way, or if there is a particular application for religious beliefs.

[nastyhobbitses]

I would caution people not to think that brain damage = fundie, or that fundie = brain damaged, but I can see why a TBI could draw a person towards fundamentalism: a need for a community and answers after a traumatic, life-changing injury, a belief system that offers a routine and concrete rules to follow (which is appealing when you may have impaired executive functioning), and very black-and-white thinking (since, as the article says, cognitive flexibility might be impaired).

Though I also wonder if the study controlled for or considered the social factors that influence fundamentalist beliefs. As I mentioned above, many veterans with traumatic brain injuries may feel isolated and lack a support system, and fundamentalist groups look for these exact sorts of people. Many veterans already hold conservative political viewpoints (not all, of course, but many) and the right wing has been going much further to the right in recent years.

I think that it's an interesting study, and I think that looking at links between physical/psychological trauma and fundamentalism and radicalization is really interesting, and very relevant, but I think that this needs more digging and detail.

[Black Aliss]

I think that regardless of the cause, damage to the frontal lobes can affect a person's executive functioning--making choices, planning, etc. In that case having a set of rules in front of you, seriously limiting your choices, could be very appealing. It's like when your toddler wants to pick out her own outfit but then gets overwhelmed by the contents of her wardrobe, so you lay out a few options and let her pick from them (that never worked with my daughters, but in theory that's how it's supposed to work)

I think the same could be said for all forms of fundamentalism. Maybe it starts with being overwhelmed by too many choices, whether dietary, transportation, or political, and the "everybody who does it differently is wrong" part comes later.

[Terrie]

My uncle went fundie after a TBI for many of the reasons mentioned here. It offered the needed structure, easy to follow ruled and certainty that he could no longer create for himself.

[RosyDaisy]

This was a poorly written article. It isn't until further down the page that the research shows a correlation between TBI and becoming a religious fundamentalists.

[CyborgKin]

While the article does give a definition of fundamentalism (as well as a definition of religious beliefs), it's unclear whether that is taken from the study or if it's just the author of the article editorialising.  I also find the definition of religious beliefs to be somewhat limited and a little insulting.

[47of74]

Just saw this article that was put up on Huffington Post last month: Has Evangelical Christianity Become Sociopathic?

Spoiler

Since Evangelical Christianity began infiltrating politics, officially in the late 1970s, there has been a disturbing trend to limit or remove rights from those who don’t meet the conservative idea of an American. Many of these initiatives come in the form of “religious freedom” laws, which empower discrimination, while other legislation targets immigrants who believe differently. The result has been a sharp division in American culture, and the redefinition of Christian theology.

Nail, this is head. 

 

[infooverload]

When reading your line about conservatives wanting to take away individual rights, I was reminded of a bit from God's Banker. The Catholic Church at one point came out against the European socialist due to fears being able to rely on govt would weaken the church. They also agreed to work with Mosolini because his government strengthened their church. Barbara Enreich also proposed the rise of Faith Based Initiatives was a way to force more reliance on Evangelical churches charities and thus allow for an increase in members. After all there is an obvious chase the thing in culture which has gained acceptance and fear monger for donations. Case in point gay marriage became law and next thing we know their are bathroom bills popping up to address s problem they never concerned themselves with previously. Along with bringing a cake constitutes participation in a wedding. I mean seriously how many cakes have they delivered to divorces entering a second marriage. Then there are the couples who lived together and had sex before marriage. They can't outwardly see these things and at no point ask am I participating in their marriage where I don't agree with who or how they love.

[47of74]

On 6/24/2017 at 10:56 PM, infooverload said:

Then there are the couples who lived together and had sex before marriage. They can't outwardly see these things and at no point ask am I participating in their marriage where I don't agree with who or how they love.

When I was in undergrad I took a German class at a Catholic college as a visiting student and the professor one time said it was probably something he wasn't supposed to say - but that he thought people should live together before marriage in order to ensure that it was going to work out.