Ever wonder why you remember things you learned from your favorite teachers? Scientists in Sweden have found that our brain is “programmed” to learn more from people we like and admire. On the other hand, we are less likely to learn something new when the information comes from someone we don’t like.
According to researchers, this can be translated to other aspects of life – such as politics – where we favor people or groups that that we like. The problem is that this can then lead to polarization. “We are more inclined to form new connections and update knowledge from information presented by groups we favor. Such preferred groups typically provide information that aligns with our pre-existing beliefs and ideas, potentially reinforcing polarized viewpoints,” said Mikael Johansson, professor of psychology at Lund University.