The Ideological Brain

Discover the hidden forces shaping our beliefs, behaviours - and even changing our brains.

Why do some people become radicalised? Who is most susceptible to ideological thinking? Can we unchain our minds from toxic dogmas?

Drawing on her groundbreaking research, Dr Leor Zmigrod uncovers the hidden mechanisms driving our beliefs and behaviours. She uses the powerful tools of neuroscience to show that our political beliefs are not transient thoughts in our minds, divorced from our bodies - ideologies actually change our neural architecture, our cells.

For instance, she demonstrates how a simple card sorting game can reveal your entire approach to life. Cognitive rigidity in such tasks - struggling to adapt to new rules - mirrors the rigidity with which you cling to social and political ideologies. While some individuals are more susceptible to dogmatic thinking than others, all of us can strive to be more flexible.

The Ideological Brain is essential reading in today's polarised and polarising world. To foster a more informed, resilient, and freer society, we need to zoom into the processes happening inside each of us and learn to spot rigid thinking in ourselves and others. We need to learn to avoid black-and-white thinking and embrace ambiguity. We need to recognise our ability to resist irrational rules and authority.

Regardless of your political stance, this book will challenge you to reassess your convictions - and what they are doing to your brain.