The Neuroscience and Psychology of Brexit
29th June 2016
Whether you voted in or out, are pleased or dismayed at the outcome of last week’s referendum, there’s no doubt that Britain’s decision to leave the EU will have a huge effect on all of us. The result was a surprise to many on both sides so why did it swing the way it did? Psychology and Neuroscience may be able to shed some light.
Evolutionary speaking, we are social animals. Our brains have not changed much since we were roaming the African plains and in the good old days of the caveman we roamed in tribes. In times when resources were scarce we understandably saw other tribes or groups as threatening. This led to feelings of anger, rage and anxiety. We are hardwired to see outsiders as a threat. Deciding whether someone is “other” happens in a fraction of a second and is controlled primarily by the prefrontal cortex; it is an unconscious process. One element of the Leave campaign centred on immigration policy and in parts fostered an “us and them” mentality; British people vs immigrants. The power of the In-group is a well-known construct that invokes feelings of solidarity against the out-group. It reduces empathy for those seen as “other” and allows us to see them as objects of threats rather than fellow human beings. It could be said therefore that people may have been naturally drawn to the arguments made by the leave campaign as they highlighted the potential threat of “others” (immigrants) leading to a perceived need to protect and band together as a group against outsiders.
Perceived inequality was also a major factor for many people voting Leave on the 23rd. Before Brexit the UK’s economy was doing well and this in turn attracted high levels of immigration. It would make sense if, as general wealth in the country grew so did peoples happiness. This may be true in general but not so if wealth inequality is also growing at a faster rate. In other words we only feel well off in relation to others. So while people may be better off overall, if the inequalities between the rich and poor get bigger as a result those further down will still feel unfairly treated. This may in part explain Brexit as areas of lower socioeconomic status were more likely to back the Leave campaign.
The Positivity Bias suggests that positive thoughts and feelings preside over negative ones. We are now aware that on average the Leave voters were older than Remain voters. It may be that those older voters wishing to exit the EU did so as a result of nostalgia for a past of peace and cultural homogeneity. Many leave voters who remember clearly a time before the EU may have looked back with these “rose-tinted glasses” and wondered why we should be a part of this large bureaucratic organisation when we managed just fine before. This positivity bias also precludes voters thinking about the positive long term effects of Brexit, instead favouring the positive.
It appears that as always a combination of factors led to the referendum result last week. Psychology and neuroscience can in part attempt to explain the somewhat surprising result (polls were hedging towards Remain right up until the last minute). Hopefully, psychology will also be able to make its voice heard in the coming months and years in order to promote unity, cohesion and wellbeing as we head into uncertainty.