Abstract
Nationalism and patriotism both entail positive evaluations of one’s nation. However, the former inherently involves derogation of other nations, whereas the latter is independent of comparisons with other nations. We used voxel-based morphometry and psychological measures and determined nationalism and patriotism’s association with gray matter density (rGMD) and their cognitive nature in healthy individuals (433 men and 344 women; age, 20.7 ± 1.9 years) using whole-brain multiple regression analyses and post hoc analyses. We found higher nationalism associated with greater rGMD in (a) areas of the posterior cingulate cortex and greater rGMD in (b) the orbitofrontal cortex, and smaller rGMD in (c) the right amygdala area. Furthermore, we found higher patriotism associated with smaller rGMD in the (d) rostrolateral prefrontal cortex. Post hoc analyses revealed the mean rGMD of the cluster (a) associated with compassion, that of (b) associated with feeling of superiority, that of (c) associated with suicide ideation, and that of (d) associated with quality of life. These results indicate that individual nationalism may be mediated by neurocognitive mechanisms in social-related areas and limbic neural mechanisms, whereas patriotism may be mediated by neurocognitive mechanisms in areas related to well-being.
Highlights
Nationalism and patriotism both entail positive evaluations of one’s nation
Nationalism is negatively associated with acceptance of the Euro[6] in Austria and European identity[6], and it is positively associated with xenophobia[7]; greater tolerance toward immigration in Switzerland[8]; support toward nuclear armament policies and readiness to go to war, but less willingness to risk ones’ life, as compared with patriotism[4,9]; militarism10; 1Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan. 2Division of Medical Neuroimaging Analysis, Department of Community Medical Supports, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan. 3Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan. 4Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan. 5Human and Social
We investigated how individual differences in nationalism and patriotism were associated with the regional gray matter (GM) density using voxel-based morphometry (VBM)[23]
Summary
Nationalism and patriotism both entail positive evaluations of one’s nation. the former inherently involves derogation of other nations, whereas the latter is independent of comparisons with other nations. Post hoc analyses revealed the mean rGMD of the cluster (a) associated with compassion, that of (b) associated with feeling of superiority, that of (c) associated with suicide ideation, and that of (d) associated with quality of life These results indicate that individual nationalism may be mediated by neurocognitive mechanisms in social-related areas and limbic neural mechanisms, whereas patriotism may be mediated by neurocognitive mechanisms in areas related to well-being. Most studies related to nationalism focus on two factors: nationalism and patriotism[3,4,5], both of which are associated with conservativeness in the US4, there are other parallel political opinions. Patriotism is defined as pride in one’s nation, which is based on a positive evaluation of the nation independently of comparisons with other countries[5]. For more discussion regarding legitimacy of investigating correlations of nationalism and patriotism with anatomical structure, see Supplemental Discussion
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