The Republican Brain

The Science of Why They Deny Science - and Reality

Best-selling author Chris Mooney uses cutting-edge research to explain the psychology behind why today’s Republicans reject reality - it’s just part of who they are. From climate change to evolution, the rejection of mainstream science among Republicans is growing, as is the denial of expert consensus on the economy, American history, foreign policy, and much more.

Why won’t Republicans accept things that most experts agree on? Why are they constantly fighting against the facts? Science writer Chris Mooney explores brain scans, polls, and psychology experiments to explain why conservatives today believe more wrong things, appear more likely than Democrats to oppose new ideas and less likely to change their beliefs in the face of new facts, and sometimes respond to compelling evidence by doubling down on their current beliefs.

Certain to spark discussion and debate, The Republican Brain also promises to add to the lengthy list of persuasive scientific findings that Republicans reject and deny.

Chris Mooney is the best-selling author of The Republican War on Science, the host of the Point of Inquiry podcast, and the author of The Intersection blog for Science Progress. He has written several books, as well as articles for Mother Jones, American Prospect, Harper’s, Washington Post, USA Today, and Slate. He has appeared on The Last Word, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Book TV, Science Friday, Morning Joe, and Fresh Air, among other programs.

©2012 Chris Mooney (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Mooney has bravely tackled a gigantic and complex topic.” (The Washington Post on The Republican War on Science)

"Nothing short of a landmark in contemporary political reporting.” ( Salon on The Republican War on Science)

Makes sense...

As someone who grew up Catholic Republican, or I should say had these beliefs pressed upon me, this book breaks down and simplifies the reasoning behind what I've struggled to understand for the past several years. How can all these people I know and once respected (family, friends etc...) believe such nonsense and follow people who are so obviously lying to them!? What's crazy to think is that this book came out before the Trump Era! It's actually from around when I started questioning people and thier politics, something I never really paid all that much attention to before. I pretty much just went with the flow/the majority before then. When I was younger I didn't really question if my parents were right or wrong. I believed them. Why would they lie to me? As I got older and especially after Obama became President, I started to notice so much more hatred, vial talk and unwarranted untruths. It was like blasphemy became a popular thing and I was an Outsider for questioning it or thinking it wrong. Trump was the last straw. Now I knew I was on the right side as realty seemed to unravel around me. This book unveils the sad truths of why that is. I only wish I had read it sooner.

Sobering information

This book explains with scientific evidence the biological and social differences between liberals and conservatives and why we are unlikely to change each other’s minds.

An Evenhanded Analysis of Both Sides of the Aisle

Would you consider the audio edition of The Republican Brain to be better than the print version?

I am always a fan of books in print, but this is a good one to read in the car. Personally, I tend to pick non-fiction books apart, so it takes forever for me to read them. I was glad to have this in audio format if only for the benefit of getting through it quickly and not being so nitpicky.

Have you listened to any of William Hughes’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Never heard any of William Hughes' books before, but he was very good. I enjoyed listening to him.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It was definitely hard to turn it off, but it is so long that it would be hard to find that much time all at once.

Any additional comments?

Please disregard any reviews that claim this book is biased. I would question whether that person had even read the book, since the author clearly tries to understand the psychology of why BOTH parties think and act the way they do. Mooney does a great job of showing the differences between the parties and noting how each party adds value to our country. It is not a question of intelligence or morality. He makes no claim that Republicans are idiots or crazy, as one reviewer on this site interprets this book. He simply explains that conservatives and liberals are wired differently.

I think this topic is extremely important - it is something that has always frustrated me as a liberal. I know many conservatives who I consider to be smart and genuinely good people. How then can they be so wrong when it comes to scientific fact?

This book's premise is that humans, in general, are hardwired to respond emotionally at first and then justify that response using facts. Everyone does this, regardless of political affiliation. The primary difference between conservatives and liberals is their level of openness - liberals tend to be very open to change and new ideas, where conservatives tend to be more closed, valuing tradition and hierarchy. Liberals, therefore, are more apt to change their minds when presented with facts and data consistently over time. Conservatives, however, react in just the opposite way - sometimes they will even cling harder to previously held beliefs when presented with opposing data. Understanding why this happens is crucial in determining how we communicate. I hope that people who read this book will not only come away with a better understanding of how the two parties think, but also start considering ways that we can work together toward common goals.

The title did raise my hackles, but then…

Being a conservative myself both my interest was peaked and hackles raised when I saw this title. So instead of ranting about the book title, I instead read the whole book.
So our brains are different and we value different things and if you stick around to the end you will learn a great deal about the mindset of Republicans and also of liberals.
The studies and examples quoted are digestible and easy to understand. Just note that the book is dated for the political climate we are in now in 2021, but the core information is still interesting.
Thanks Chris and I look forward to an update title along these lines.

Interesting but lost me a bit toward the end

Very interesting observations, but toward the end when the author delves into the statistical details of their experiment, it lost me a bit. Would have been more useful sticking to layman’s terms vs. rote statistics.