Authors Tyler Phillips (Research Psychologist & Research and Content Consultant) and Dr Etienne van der Walt (neurologist and CEO & founder of Neurozone®)
Political radicalism has gained momentum worldwide, from the United States to Europe. This trend thrives on oversimplified narratives and extreme solutions, which ignore complexity, polarize societies, and fuel division and violence. History tells us that periods of economic crises, wars, and social unrest often create fertile ground for such movements—and the early 2020s have certainly brought plenty of upheaval. While many factors contribute to the development of this current movement, neuroscience explains how stress and fear can make our brains more vulnerable to radical thinking.
What Happens in the Brain?
Recent research proposes the Threat-based Neural Switch Theory to explain how our thinking becomes more susceptible to political radicalism. This theory highlights two key brain mechanisms at work: the perception of threats and the shift between different modes of learning and memory.
How Our Brains Learn
To understand the different modes of learning and memory, let’s consider two types of tasks:
- Writing a university essay: This requires careful planning, complex thinking, and the ability to synthesize ideas—essentially, goal-directed learning.
- Sorting bolts at a factory: This relies on recognizing patterns and repeating learned behaviors—an example of habit learning.
In neuroscience terms:
- Goal-directed learning involves deliberate, flexible thinking, conscious memory, and making and testing mental models.
- Habit learning relies on more automatic processes, unconscious memory, and model-free thinking.
These two systems compete for control. You can’t write an essay while you’re in bolt-sorting mode, and vice versa.
Stress and the Brain’s “Switch”
When you’re under stress—whether from a personal crisis, economic instability, or political uncertainty—your brain’s fight-or-flight system kicks in. This response is essential for survival in immediate danger, as it makes us act quickly without overthinking.
But here’s the catch: when stress is high, our brain “switches” from goal-directed to habit-based learning. In other words, the prefrontal cortex (the brain’s hub for complex, rational thinking) takes a backseat to more automatic, reactive processes (driven by the limbic system, especially the amygdala). In situations without the need to act immediately, this is not an adaptive response.
How This Affects Political Thinking
The world’s political challenges are complicated, requiring careful thought and nuanced solutions. Yet when we’re stressed, our brains aren’t primed for complexity. Instead, we gravitate toward simple, emotionally ‘hot’, black-and-white narratives.
This is why extreme political ideas often gain traction during times of uncertainty. Oversimplified solutions feel more manageable to our stressed brains. At the same time, we may struggle to critically evaluate evidence that contradicts these extreme ideas. In this state, political radicalism can seem appealing—our brains become susceptible to “defaulting” to it when goal-directed thinking is suppressed.
Balancing the Brain for Better Thinking
Importantly, the researchers behind the Threat-based Neural Switch Theory emphasize that this isn’t a malfunction—it’s an imbalance between our brain’s two systems. The good news? It’s possible to restore balance and strengthen our resistance to oversimplified, divisive thinking.
Resilience as Brain Balancing
Resilience is your brain-body system’s ability to handle stress effectively. When we’re resilient, we are better at regulating our stress responses, managing our emotions, and returning to a baseline relaxed physiological state. This state allows the prefrontal cortex to take charge, making complex thinking and problem-solving easier. Building resilience—both individually and collectively —could help prepare us to address the challenges of today’s political landscape with clearer, more grounded thinking.
How Neurozone® Can Help
Neurozone® offers proven tools to help build resilience and strengthen brain balance, such as microlearning courses and the Neurozone® Personal Assessment. These resources focus on developing skills like emotional regulation, stress management, and flexible thinking—all important for reducing susceptibility to political radicalism. By cultivating resilience, we might not only safeguard our brains but also contribute to a more stable, more united society.
The Takeaway
Stressful times can push us toward simpler, more extreme ideas. But by understanding how our brains work and intentionally building resilience, we can better navigate complexity—and resist the pull of political radicalism. Resilience is not just a personal tool; it’s a collective necessity for meeting the challenges of our era with clarity and cooperation.