The Neurocognitive Underpinnings of Ideological Dogmatism

Since the birth of modern civilization, humans have been creating stories that capture their theories about how the world works and how they should act within this complex world. These narratives both describe and prescribe human action, and exist in a kaleidoscope of forms – from religious doctrines to political manifestos, and from racial supremacy to authoritarian nationalism. Why are we – as societies and individuals – seduced by these explosive ideologies? Recent research findings demonstrate that our ideologies may be tightly interconnected with our perceptual and cognitive architecture. While past endeavours have concentrated on the role of motivations, this research program focuses on the fundamental cognitive mechanisms of thought and their neurobiological underpinnings. It therefore considers questions such as: How do ideological doctrines captivate the human brain? Which cognitive, neural, and genetic traits confer susceptibility (or resistance) to ideological thinking? Through interdisciplinary experimental designs that harness cutting-edge methodologies in cognitive science, neuroscience, and behavioural genetics, and construct dialogue with the social sciences, the research aims to unpack the behavioural and neurobiological roots of ideological behaviour. At its heart, it seeks to illustrate that a rigorous biologically-grounded scientific study of the ideological mind may illuminate ancient paradoxes as well as pertinent societal questions facing modern democracies.