Why We Think the Way We Think: Science Behind Political Beliefs

Estonian diplomat and commentator Harri Tiido has explored why people form particular political views, drawing on journalist Turi Munthe's book "Why We Think What We Think: The Unexpected Origins of Our Deepest Beliefs."

Brain and taste

Research shows conservative and liberal brains differ: the conservative brain tends to reject differences and irregularities, while the liberal brain is better at detecting exceptions and nuances. Brain scans can reportedly identify political affiliation with about 70 percent accuracy. A 2020 Cornell University study suggested conservatives have more taste receptors on their tongues than liberals. Links have also been found with food preferences — in the US and UK, right-leaning voters favor Burger King over McDonald's, while liberals are more inclined toward spicy food. Cambridge Analytica reportedly used such data for political targeting during the 2016 US presidential election.

The role of genetics

Studies of identical twins raised separately in different environments found their political views largely coincided. Overall, genetics is said to explain about 60 percent of a person's position on the conservative-liberal spectrum, while genes account for roughly 50 percent of views on economic and tax policy. Tiido notes this raises concerns reminiscent of eugenics — theoretically, if views could be determined by genetic testing, elections could seem redundant.

Geography's influence

The book also examines how geography and climate shape opinions — rural residents tend to be more conservative since government presence is less felt in rural areas. Munthe links East-West cultural differences to farming history: grain cultivation fostered individualism and guilt-based culture, while rice farming's need for collective infrastructure fostered collectivism and shame-based culture. Notably, Russia falls into the collectivist, shame-culture category, which may partly explain why many Russians feel no personal guilt over the war in Ukraine.