Prof Matt Qvortrup: “Neuropolitics is here – and will shape political campaigns”
IS IT possible to hide your political leanings? Not from brain scans, according to political expert Professor Matt Qvortrup.
Such scans, undertaken in studies in the US, were found to be able to identify differences between liberals and conservatives, sometimes with better accuracy then surveys.
The technique is also said to be considerably more accurate than traditional lie detector polygraph tests, with more than 80% accuracy.
Having originally studied neuroscience, Matt Qvortrup, earned a doctorate in political science at Oxford.
The Professor of Political Science at Coventry University’s research Centre for Trust Peace and Social Relations has now returned to his first academic love and has launched his new book, The Political Brain: The Emergence of Neuropolitics.
Professor Qvortrup said: “Neuropolitics is the cutting edge of political science.
“We can say with 85% certainty whether you are conservative or the opposite based on brain scans, it all comes down to the parts of the brain you use.
“Whether you are conservative or you are liberal, it will all show up in your brain.”
And he warns: “Neuropolitics is not just the future, it is already here and people should be interested in it because this is how political campaigns are likely to be shaped in the future.
“There are many potential dangers, it could be used and abused by political leaders, but if we know about neuropolitics, we are more likely to use this technology well.”
The Political Brain: The Emergence of Neuropolitics is available from Central European University Press www.ceupress.com/book/political-brain
