Us vs Them: The Tribal Brain

As humans, we are constantly interacting with others, both in person and online. In order to make snap decisions about how to interact with these people, our brains have evolved to create mental shortcuts that allow us to quickly categorize them. Our brain is wired to predict, and we put these prediction circuits to work every time we engage in one of these interactions. What are their intentions? Are they a threat? Can they help me? Are they a potential mate? This can be incredibly adaptive and helpful in some circumstances, but it can also lead to bias and misattribution. At its extreme, this can result in disgust, hatred, and even violence. The us vs them mentality served us great as a tribal species but in today’s interconnected complex world we must put in work to overcome these unconscious categorization processes. In this episode, we will explore the neuroscience and biology of these mechanisms. We will look at how they manifest in the behaviors we see in the divided world we live in. And most importantly, we will explore how to overcome and override these behaviors so that we can encourage the emergence of a more accepting and heterogeneous world.