the true you

the wsj this morning had an interesting article about the racism debate – is it an inevitable human attribute? some evolutionary psychologists claim it is hardwired - ancestors wary of outside tribes weren’t killed as often, so the “us vs. them” response was passed on to descendants. this may or may not be true, and is nearly impossible to prove. the more interesting question addressed in the article is about the “true you”

in implicit studies, where participants must react before they are able to control their innate responses, we’re all supposedly racist and sexist. however, in a new study when participants were able to look at faces for 500 miliseconds longer than in other studies, no such implicit reaction occurred, and the brain response is even different, utilizing newer and more cognitively complex brain areas (frontal cortex as opposed to amygdala). since in life, we rarely have to make 30 millisecond decisions, i’m not sure it matters that these responses do occur. and who’s to say those 30 millisecond responses are really more “us” than the frontal cortex and anterior cingulate responses?

Prof. Cunningham demurs: “It’s silly to say that these automatic reactions are the true you.” or that they are any more “you” than thoughtful reactions that reflect consciousness and beliefs”

of note, i recall that when one's frontal cortex is damaged, the person becomes "soulless," losing his/her personality altogether... so perhaps the frontal cortex is more "you" than those more primitive areas.

look for cunningham's article in the upcoming issue of psychological science. i've begun the in-press article and must say it's fascinating.

as an aside, earlier i tested my own implicit reactions, and they do exist. somehow i'm not too worried.

reference: "Racism Studies Find Rational Part of Brain Can Override Prejudice" by Sharon Begley, WSJ, 11/19/2004, B1

Labels: decision making, neuroscience