#Trumps cult animosity shows up update#
#Trumps cult animosity shows up pro#

In an article by noted psychiatrist and neuroscientist, Arash Javanbakht, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Wayne State University, and specialist in fear and trauma, he has some evidence-based thoughts on how fear is abused in politics: While fear is inherent as part of our very being, tribalism is learned. It reaches into the reptilian brain and in an almost secretion-like reaction, requires that human beings gather together in like-groups, not only excluding anyone that is different, but destroying them. Fear promotes tribalist reactions that circumvent any form of logic. But this “fear” is also not a really good friend when it comes to rational thinking. Image Source: Neuroscience News It Seems trumpers are Tribalist Fear MongersĪny of the professionals will tell you that “fear” is one of the most base emotions that have historically helped to protect us from danger.

#Trumps cult animosity shows up update#

Or, to quote the study: ‘Even if individuals update their beliefs temporarily, explanations regarding both fact and fiction seemingly have an expiration date.’” But there was a catch: After a one-week delay, subjects partially ‘rebelieved’ the false statements and partially forgot that factual information was true. There was a large bipartisan shift in belief after the fact check, suggesting that both conservatives and liberals can change their minds if they’re presented with convincing, unbiased information.

#Trumps cult animosity shows up pro#

Republicans who were not pro Trump also believed less in statements attributed to him (but not to the same degree as Democrats), while their belief in the false statements was not influenced by attribution. When subjects first rated the veracity of true and false statements, Republican supporters of Trump believed the claim more when it was attributed to Trump the opposite was true of Democrats. One of the findings confirmed what every FOX and MSNBC pundit already knows. After false items were corrected and true items confirmed, the test subjects rerated the statements. Some were attributed to him: “Donald Trump said that vaccines cause autism.” Others had no attribution: “Vaccines cause autism.” Then came the fact checks.

Subjects were asked to rate their belief in eight statements (four true, four false) that Trump made during his campaign. Conducted prior to the 2016 presidential election, the study focuses on credibility experiments. This raises a fascinating question: Could the president extricate himself from the Ukraine quid-pro-quo scandal, the linchpin of the current impeachment proceedings, by spewing one lie after another?Īccording to the academic paper Processing Political Misinformation: Comprehending the Trump Phenomenon, the answer is yes. “Many people know that Trump is lying to them and simply don’t care. No one ever knew why people supported Hitler and they still have no explanation why the followers of Jim Jones drank poisoned Kool-Aid as part of his instructions.Īn article in LAMag/citythinkblog covers the topic and the academic study: The trumpers consist of a rabid group that can be compared to any of the extremists, from the Nazis to Jim Jones. There is no ability to place a round peg in a round hole. One of the main problems has been an attempt at reasonable thinking people trying to make sense of something that has absolutely no sense. Some pundits have already come out and stated that the blind following of a man so obviously drunk with power complies with cult behavior and even trump knows it. The fact that trump is (at this writing) heading towards the total of 14,000 lies, averaging 22 lies per day has confounded everyone is the rational world.

The answer to this has been recognized by an academic paper that has focused on this phenomenon and the answer is that the trumpers believe the lies because they want to. There has been a single question that has circulated among those with critical thinking abilities all around the world: “WHY” do the trumpers believe all of the lies? This is usually followed by “can they be so stupid?” Psychologists have tried to analyze and most of the rest of us are just astonished.