Don't let politics divide you from friends and family

According to experts who study political leanings, liberals and conservatives don't just see things differently. They actually are different in their personalities and even their unconscious reactions to the world around them. Researchers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Rice University argue that the differences between liberals and conservatives are rooted in personality characteristics and biological predispositions. The research shows that conservatives desire security, predictability, and authority more than liberals and liberals are more comfortable with novelty, nuance and complexity. It has been suggested that the volume of gray matter, which helps detect errors and resolve conflict, tends to be larger in liberals. While the amygdala, which is important for regulating emotions and evaluating threats, is larger in conservatives. The research findings are consistent, yet keep in mind they are probabilities, and not certainties, allowing plenty of individual variabilities. When exploring the world of political neuroscience, a question exists. It's similar to the chicken and or the egg problem: Do our brains start out processing and accessing the world differently? Or do they increasingly differ as our own political views start to evolve? In my own experience, it is evolution. When I was 10-11 years of age, I recall spending my recess at St. Peter and Paul chanting for either George Bush or Bill Clinton. To be honest, I had no clue. I was influenced by my friends and the world around me. As I have grown, my personal experiences have influenced my perception of the world and my political views started to evolve, creating alignment with who I am, and the person I strive to be. Psychologists Jay Van Bavel and Andrea Pereira, both at New York University, in "Trends in Cognitive Sciences" in 2018 discussed the influence partisanship has on identity. Even down to the level of neurons, it "helps to explain why people place party loyalty over policy, and even over truth." In summary, we develop our identities from both individual characteristics, such as being a parent, and our group membership, such as being a Buckeye fan. These characteristics are pieces of our identity and serve a goal to belong and the desire of predictability. Partisan identity shapes our perceptions. The more strongly we identify with a party, the more likely we become to commit our support for it. This is why identity wins out over accuracy. So today, on Election Day, it is important to understand what is at work cognitively. As a society, we need to learn how to interact with someone who disagrees with our political views. We need to adapt and stop spending energy trying to convince or persuade someone, but instead, increase our own effort of trying to understand where they're coming from. It is possible to have productive, civilized conversations about politics with friends and family. Do not let opposing ideologies separate you from family and friends. For me, my political views differ from some of my family. We do not and we will not always agree, but we're family first and foremost. For additional resources on navigating a political discussion I recommend "I Think You're Wrong (But I'm Listening)" by Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers. The book provides a useful framework for readers on how to have political conversations with those they love and yet disagree. The two also have a podcast, "Pantsuit Politics." Sandusky native Rachel Velishek is a licensed Professional Clinical Counselor ( LPCC) with more than more than 11 years of professional experience providing clinical diagnostic assessment, psychotherapy for all ages, and relational counseling She lives in Columbus and works at Licking Memorial Health Systems.