Neural nonpartisans

ABSTRACT

While affective conflict between partisans is driving much of modern politics, it is also driving increasing numbers to eschew partisan labels. A dominant theory is that these self-proclaimed independents are merely covert partisans. In the largest functional brain imaging study of neuropolitics to date, we find differences between partisans and nonpartisans in the right medial temporal pole, orbitofrontal/medial prefrontal cortex, and right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, three regions often engaged during social cognition. These results suggest that rather than being simply covert partisans, nonpartisans process the world in a way different from their partisan counterparts.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1 During the period when the data in this study was collected, California operated under a “modified” closed primary as a consequence of Senate Bill 28. Participants who registered with No Party Preference would thus only obtain a ballot in primary elections for nonpartisan elections, unless they took the effort of requesting a ballot for a particular party for that specific election.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by University of California, San Diego: Collaboratories Grant.