Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Can the size of your amygdala influence your political leanings? Dutch study explores link

Researchers from the Netherlands, which is known to have a multi-party system, replicated a 2011 study of 90 university students in the UK.

Can the size of your amygdala influence your political leanings? Dutch study explores link
Conservative voters were found to have larger amygdalas

CONSERVATIVE voters have slightly larger amygdalas, or fear processing centres, compared to progressive ones, according to a new study.

Researchers from the Netherlands, which is known to have a multi-party system, replicated a 2011 study of 90 university students in the UK.


Looking at MRI brain scans of 928 individuals aged 19-26 years, the researchers found the link between one’s amygdala size and conservatism also depended on the political party that the participant identified with.

“The amygdala controls the perception and the understanding of threats and risk uncertainty, so it makes a lot of sense that individuals who are more sensitive towards these issues have higher needs for security, which is something that typically aligns with more conservative ideas in politics,” first author Diamantis Petropoulos Petalas, from the University of Amsterdam, said.

The findings, published in the journal iScience, were in line with those from the earlier UK study, the researchers said.

“The Netherlands has a multiparty system, with different parties representing a spectrum of ideologies, and we find a very nice positive correlation between the parties’ political ideology and the amygdala size of that person,” Petropoulos Petalas said. “That speaks to the idea that we’re not talking about a dichotomous representation of ideology in the brain, such as Republicans versus Democrats as in the US, but we see a more fine-grained spectrum of how political ideology can be reflected in the brain’s anatomy,” Petropoulos Petalas said.

Researchers said those who identified with the Dutch socialist party – considered to have radically left-wing economic policies, but more conservative social values – had on average more grey matter in the amygdala, compared to the participants who identified with other progressive parties.

They explained that because the Netherlands has a multi-party political system, the team was also able to compare brain structures along the continuum from left- to right-wing, in contrast to the two-party system in the UK.

A participant’s ideology, including political identity and stance on socioeconomic issues, was analysed by their responses to a questionnaire. The responses revealed varied aspects such as the political parties that the participant identified with and how they stood on women’s and LGBTQ rights.

However, in contrast to the UK study, the authors did not find any link between conservatism and a smaller volume of grey matter in the anterior cingulate cortex, a brain region that manages impulses and emotions.

Depending on a person’s economic and social ideology, both the amygdala and anterior cingulate cortex physically differed, indicating that relationships between political ideology and brain structure are nuanced and multidimensional, they added.

More For You

Brothers deny assaulting police during Manchester Airport brawl

Photo for representation. (iStock)

Brothers deny assaulting police during Manchester Airport brawl

TWO brothers accused of assaulting a man inside a Starbucks and later attacking police officers at Manchester Airport are standing trial, with the prosecution arguing they used "unlawful and extreme violence".

Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, and his older brother Muhammad Amaad, 26, both from Rochdale, are said to have acted aggressively on July 23 last year while at the airport to pick up their mother, who had arrived on a flight from Qatar.

Keep ReadingShow less
Cyberpunk Edgerunners Season 2

New standalone story with fresh characters and darker themes

YouTube/ Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk Edgerunners season 2 confirmed with darker, bloodier storyline

Key points

  • Netflix announces Cyberpunk: Edgerunners season 2 at Anime Expo 2025
  • New standalone story with fresh characters and darker themes
  • Directed by Kai Ikarashi, known for episode six of season one
  • Showrunner promises more violence, emotional depth, and realism
  • Trailer expected to be released during Studio Trigger panel

New season revealed at Anime Expo 2025

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners season 2 has officially been announced by Netflix and CD Projekt Red during the Anime Expo 2025 event. The follow-up to the hit anime spinoff of Cyberpunk 2077 will feature a completely new storyline and characters, while retaining the series’ distinctive raw and emotional tone.

Keep ReadingShow less
Aaradhya Bachchan

Abhishek Bachchan says Aishwarya Rai is fully responsible for Aaradhya’s upbringing

Getty Images

Abhishek Bachchan praises Aishwarya Rai for raising Aaradhya without phone or social media

Quick highlights:

  • Abhishek Bachchan credits Aishwarya Rai for taking the lead in daughter Aaradhya’s upbringing.
  • Says Aaradhya, now 13, has no phone and stays away from social media.
  • Calls Aishwarya “selfless” for prioritising parenting over everything else.
  • Slams online gossip surrounding their marriage as baseless and insensitive.

Actor Abhishek Bachchan has dismissed recent speculation around his marriage with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, instead shining a light on her unwavering dedication as a mother. In a recent chat, he spoke warmly about their 13-year-old daughter Aaradhya, revealing that she neither owns a mobile phone nor uses social media, something he attributes to Aishwarya’s hands-on parenting.

 Aaradhya Bachchan  Aaradhya Bachchan has no access to social media or a personal phoneGetty Images

Keep ReadingShow less
Nintendo Switch 2 demand exceeds

To address the ongoing demand, Nintendo is working to increase production

iStock

Nintendo Switch 2 demand exceeds supply globally, says company president

Key points

  • Nintendo Switch 2 demand outstripping supply in several countries
  • Over 2.2 million applications submitted in Japan’s lottery sales
  • Nintendo held four purchase draws, with a fifth scheduled for early July
  • Company aims to strengthen production and supply to meet demand
  • Switch 2 had the biggest launch in Nintendo history

Strong demand leads to shortages

Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has confirmed that demand for the Nintendo Switch 2 has surpassed available supply in many regions. Speaking during the Q&A session of the company’s 85th annual general meeting of shareholders, Furukawa addressed concerns about ongoing stock shortages.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ranveer Singh

Ranveer Singh in a still from Lootera that captured his most restrained performance

Twelve years of 'Lootera': 5 reasons Ranveer Singh’s most understated role still holds up

Quick highlights:

  • Ranveer’s subtle performance in Lootera marked a major shift from his usual high-energy roles.
  • The 1950s-set romantic drama became a career milestone for the actor.
  • His restrained, emotionally complex portrayal earned long-term critical acclaim.
  • The film showcased a successful collaboration with director Vikramaditya Motwane.
  • As Dhurandhar builds buzz, Lootera reminds us of Ranveer’s range.

Twelve years ago, Ranveer Singh surprised audiences with Lootera, a period romance that asked him to do something unfamiliar: stay still. Set in 1950s Bengal and directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, the film gave Ranveer the space to deliver one of his most subdued and mature performances. No outbursts. No spectacle. Just quiet heartbreak.

  Lootera released in 2013 and marked a stylistic shift for Ranveer Singh Prime Video  

Keep ReadingShow less