Politics and the Brain (broadcast Friday, November 16th, 2007)

What happens in your brain when you think about politics? We'll talk with a researcher using brain imaging techniques to map out voters' innermost feelings about the current crop of candidates. The researchers used fMRI imaging to examine brain activity in 20 'likely voters' as they looked at pictures of the candidates and watched clips from speeches. But can maps of activity in the amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex, or insula really translate into action in the polling booth? We'll talk about it. Teachers, find more information about using Science Friday as a classroom resource in the Kids' Connection.