New study links brain network damage to increased religious fundamentalism

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“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”

A new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that specific networks in the brain, when damaged, may influence the likelihood of developing religious fundamentalism. By analyzing patients with focal brain lesions, researchers found that damage to a particular network of brain regions—mainly in the right hemisphere—was associated with higher levels of fundamentalist beliefs. This finding provides new insight into the potential neural basis of religious fundamentalism, which has long been studied in psychology but less so in neuroscience.

Religious fundamentalism is a way of thinking and behaving characterized by a rigid adherence to religious doctrines that are seen as absolute and inerrant. It’s been linked to various cognitive traits such as authoritarianism, resistance to doubt, and a lower complexity of thought. While much of the research on religious fundamentalism has focused on social and environmental factors like family upbringing and cultural influence, there has been growing interest in the role of biology. Some studies have suggested that genetic factors or brain function may influence religiosity, but until now, very little research has looked at specific brain networks that could underlie fundamentalist thinking.

The researchers behind this study wanted to address a critical gap in understanding how brain lesions might affect religious beliefs, particularly fundamentalism. Prior research suggested that damage to the prefrontal cortex could increase fundamentalist attitudes, but this work was limited to small sample sizes and focused only on one part of the brain. The authors of the study hypothesized that instead of a single brain region being responsible, religious fundamentalism might arise from damage to a distributed network of connected brain regions.
 

A new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that specific networks in the brain, when damaged, may influence the likelihood of developing religious fundamentalism. By analyzing patients with focal brain lesions, researchers found that damage to a particular network of brain regions—mainly in the right hemisphere—was associated with higher levels of fundamentalist beliefs. This finding provides new insight into the potential neural basis of religious fundamentalism, which has long been studied in psychology but less so in neuroscience.

Religious fundamentalism is a way of thinking and behaving characterized by a rigid adherence to religious doctrines that are seen as absolute and inerrant. It’s been linked to various cognitive traits such as authoritarianism, resistance to doubt, and a lower complexity of thought. While much of the research on religious fundamentalism has focused on social and environmental factors like family upbringing and cultural influence, there has been growing interest in the role of biology. Some studies have suggested that genetic factors or brain function may influence religiosity, but until now, very little research has looked at specific brain networks that could underlie fundamentalist thinking.

The researchers behind this study wanted to address a critical gap in understanding how brain lesions might affect religious beliefs, particularly fundamentalism. Prior research suggested that damage to the prefrontal cortex could increase fundamentalist attitudes, but this work was limited to small sample sizes and focused only on one part of the brain. The authors of the study hypothesized that instead of a single brain region being responsible, religious fundamentalism might arise from damage to a distributed network of connected brain regions.
I'm sure that there is some physical/biochemical aspects associated with any sort of belief systems outside the range of sensory experience and rationality. . But stating that hyper religiosity is the result of brain damage definitely needs a lot more study before it's accepted fact. It's just as likely to be the result of culture, upbringing, environment, personal choice, and psychological issues like insecurity, fear, etc.
 
I'm sure that there is some physical/biochemical aspects associated with any sort of belief systems outside the range of sensory experience and rationality. . But stating that hyper religiosity is the result of brain damage definitely needs a lot more study before it's accepted fact. It's just as likely to be the result of culture, upbringing, environment, personal choice, and psychological issues like insecurity, fear, etc.
Agreed. A lot of people were super religious before they came to their sense.
 

A new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that specific networks in the brain, when damaged, may influence the likelihood of developing religious fundamentalism. By analyzing patients with focal brain lesions, researchers found that damage to a particular network of brain regions—mainly in the right hemisphere—was associated with higher levels of fundamentalist beliefs. This finding provides new insight into the potential neural basis of religious fundamentalism, which has long been studied in psychology but less so in neuroscience.

Religious fundamentalism is a way of thinking and behaving characterized by a rigid adherence to religious doctrines that are seen as absolute and inerrant. It’s been linked to various cognitive traits such as authoritarianism, resistance to doubt, and a lower complexity of thought. While much of the research on religious fundamentalism has focused on social and environmental factors like family upbringing and cultural influence, there has been growing interest in the role of biology. Some studies have suggested that genetic factors or brain function may influence religiosity, but until now, very little research has looked at specific brain networks that could underlie fundamentalist thinking.

The researchers behind this study wanted to address a critical gap in understanding how brain lesions might affect religious beliefs, particularly fundamentalism. Prior research suggested that damage to the prefrontal cortex could increase fundamentalist attitudes, but this work was limited to small sample sizes and focused only on one part of the brain. The authors of the study hypothesized that instead of a single brain region being responsible, religious fundamentalism might arise from damage to a distributed network of connected brain regions.

I'm fascinated by atheists and skeptics who do some hallucinogens and come back from the trips as believers in some supernatural force (god). I think there has to be some neuronal component to "belief" and trusting of the product of one's mind to have a real analogue. Hallucinogens definitely give a good whack to the serotonin system.

Isn't it amazing to think some of our most "deeply held beliefs about the nature of reality" can be directly affected (and even created) by some stressor on the physical brain?
 
I'm currently reading a book called "Whose in Charge" by Michael S. Gazzaniga. It is a book by a neurologist and covers a swath of brain research as it has developed and what it is at today. It delves into the nature of "free will" and how our brains are wired. The sobering thing is that there's some evidence that our brain kind of makes decisions for us BEFORE we are consciously aware of INTENT to do something...it's kind of freaky because it calls into question whether we actually DO have free will.

I've only just started the book but I've seen other documentaries etc. that discuss this.

Wouldn't it be interesting if religiosity was another aspect of the physical brain's wiring. That some people come out with the wiring in place to believe. And others less so. What does that say about making it a requirement of salvation for one to have belief if belief is, at least in part, driven by forces beyond ourselves?
 

A new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that specific networks in the brain, when damaged, may influence the likelihood of developing religious fundamentalism. By analyzing patients with focal brain lesions, researchers found that damage to a particular network of brain regions—mainly in the right hemisphere—was associated with higher levels of fundamentalist beliefs. This finding provides new insight into the potential neural basis of religious fundamentalism, which has long been studied in psychology but less so in neuroscience.

Religious fundamentalism is a way of thinking and behaving characterized by a rigid adherence to religious doctrines that are seen as absolute and inerrant. It’s been linked to various cognitive traits such as authoritarianism, resistance to doubt, and a lower complexity of thought. While much of the research on religious fundamentalism has focused on social and environmental factors like family upbringing and cultural influence, there has been growing interest in the role of biology. Some studies have suggested that genetic factors or brain function may influence religiosity, but until now, very little research has looked at specific brain networks that could underlie fundamentalist thinking.

The researchers behind this study wanted to address a critical gap in understanding how brain lesions might affect religious beliefs, particularly fundamentalism. Prior research suggested that damage to the prefrontal cortex could increase fundamentalist attitudes, but this work was limited to small sample sizes and focused only on one part of the brain. The authors of the study hypothesized that instead of a single brain region being responsible, religious fundamentalism might arise from damage to a distributed network of connected brain regions.
you mean racial fundamentalism like DEI?
 
I'm currently reading a book called "Whose in Charge" by Michael S. Gazzaniga. It is a book by a neurologist and covers a swath of brain research as it has developed and what it is at today. It delves into the nature of "free will" and how our brains are wired. The sobering thing is that there's some evidence that our brain kind of makes decisions for us BEFORE we are consciously aware of INTENT to do something...it's kind of freaky because it calls into question whether we actually DO have free will.

I've only just started the book but I've seen other documentaries etc. that discuss this.

Wouldn't it be interesting if religiosity was another aspect of the physical brain's wiring. That some people come out with the wiring in place to believe. And others less so. What does that say about making it a requirement of salvation for one to have belief if belief is, at least in part, driven by forces beyond ourselves?
there still is free will.

your retarded rantings and stupid texts are totalitrarian propagaganda created in bad faith.
 
True. I think there's also a difference between those who are deeply devout and content with it for themselves, and those who are devout and feel compelled to force their beliefs on others -- even to the point of killing them if they won't convert.
As those suicidal super ego Christiananality pedophilia homicidal human farming master plan persecutions & exploitations preyers in never mind Albert Einstein quantum mechanics beliefs with quantum Christiananality mechanics of organized crime as "man is God"......
 
As those suicidal super ego Christiananality pedophilia homicidal human farming master plan persecutions & exploitations preyers in never mind Albert Einstein quantum mechanics beliefs with quantum Christiananality mechanics of organized crime as "man is God"......
I guess I'll need a gummy and some wine to interpret this weirdness. Thanks, Dave.
 
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