Introductions
Introductions
Anthony Ragusea, Psy.D., ABPP
This first podcast briefly introduces me, my professional background, and explains some of the differences between psychologists and other mental health professional.
Brain differences between liberals and conservatives?
Today’s “Doonesbury” references this 2011 study looking at MRI differences in the structure of liberal and conservative brains. I’ve linked to the original study in case you’re interested in learning more. To help understand it a bit better, the amygdala is a small round structure in the limbic system that regulates fear response. The anterior cingulate cortex is a more complicated structure that, in part, take rational information and uses it to make decisions and quiet emotional areas like the amygdala. If the amygdala is the accelerator on fear, the ACC is the brake.
Research like this is rare, probably because of the intense controversy it generates, but this is not the only study to find characterological or organic structural differences between the two groups. It stands to reason that the difference between who is a “liberal” and who is a “conservative” is more than just about who you vote for, given that we see these broad divides not just in the US but in other democracies.
Hello world
This is the inaugural post for my blog/podcast/whatever, “My therapist talks too much”. Sometimes as a psychologist there are topics I want to talk about longer with clients than I really should, sometimes there’s new research I want to make people aware of, or “psychology in the news” that I want to comment on. My goal is to post some text blogs, some audio podcasts, maybe some “webinar” type slideshows on psychology related topics. I’m hoping to disseminate information more broadly than I can in my day to day work, and with any luck some of it might actually turn out to be worth reading/listening to/watching! www.ragusea.com