Books about our thoughts and minds always catches my attention with great curiosity. You may be a conservative or liberal and question how it happened. If you want to know more about how we form specific views, then this is a remarkable book that gives you a solid understanding of ideologies influencing our minds.

Dr. Leor Zmigrod, an award-winning scientist, allows readers to dig deep into the world of brains and how it works. This is filled with information from ancient philosophers and to what is known now. The readers are updated with recent studies of genetics, results from brain scans and how the environment places a part.

The most interesting take-away for me was related to politics on how people form decisions. She talked about the differences between those that are flexible and follow the rules opposed to others who are rigid and dislike change. It’s complicated how the mind forms decisions and she gives examples of experiments that are used.

This book helps us understand more about ourselves. It would be great for open discussions in countries with free speech as it relates to world politics. Beliefs matter.

My thanks to Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of March 25, 2025.

Are you in your right mind? This book will help you to finally get to a point in life when things can make a little more sense.

An excellent, timely summary of the neuroscientific and psychological implications of the ideological brain.

The Ideological Brain offers a groundbreaking exploration of how our political and ideological beliefs are shaped by biology, neuroscience, and personal experiences. It dives into the ways that convictions can alter not just our thoughts but our very brain structures, uncovering how deeply rooted ideological systems can affect perception and cognition. By integrating insights from politics, philosophy, and cutting-edge cognitive science, the book challenges the reader to reconsider how ideologies influence our behavior, decisions, and even our bodies. Through rich examples and accessible language, the text reveals how seemingly abstract beliefs manifest in tangible neural patterns. This unique perspective equips readers with a deeper understanding of the powerful grip ideologies can have on individuals and societies. Highly recommended for anyone curious about the intersection of the brain and the forces that shape our worldviews.

The Ideological Brain sounded like it might help me better understand how people become radicalized and believe in rigid ideologies, especially during this polarized political season in the US. In a combination of psychology, politics, and philosophy, the author argues that some people are biologically predisposed to rigid ways of thinking. Belief in strict ideologies has long been attributed to social forces but Zmigrod's research looks at this in terms of neural and cognitive principles. The book is written in a scholarly manner and can honestly be a little dry to this non-academic reader, but it has at least shown me that there may be reasons for political beliefs that I see as bordering on crazy. She also describes what an open and flexible thinker looks like. Three and a half stars rounded up.

Thank you to Henry Holt and Co. for providing me with a copy of this book. It will be published on April 25, 2025.

Book begins a bit dry, but then proceeds intoa fascinating exploration of what drives people collectively into views, particularly extremist views. Interesting text with a unique premise, somewhat reminiscent of the "Lucifer Effect" by Zimbardo, but examining the sociological aspects and the common person rather than exceptional circumstances.