A disarming comedian interviews an Emory psychologist loaded with facts about the brain

Comedian Jordan Klepper, center, takes a break from filming in the Emory psychology department. He interviewed Emory psychologist Stephan Hamann, left, about the brain science involved in trying to understand the U.S. political divide and culture wars. (Photo by Carol Clark)

By Carol Clark

Why do some people have a liberal mindset while others seem set on conservatism? And what makes it so difficult to find common ground? Those are some of the questions explored in a one-hour special, “Jordan Klepper Solves Guns,” which aired recently on Comedy Central.

Comedian Jordan Klepper and a camera crew came to the Emory campus last October to film part of the program in the Department of Psychology. Klepper interviewed psychologist Stephan Hamann about his research into how the brain may influence whether people are on one end of the political spectrum or the other, and how we might use this knowledge to better understand one another. 

“People develop their beliefs over a lifetime,” Hamann explains, “and when you tell them something that they feel challenges those core beliefs, they can have a threat response and just shut down. Brain research shows how they stop processing information on a rational level and begin operating on a more emotional level. Of course, that’s the exact opposite of what you want them to do.”

The best way to try to discuss an idea that counters someone’s convictions is to go slow and lay the ground work, he adds. “You have to be as empathetic and compassionate as possible. That’s the first step. You have to earn someone’s trust before you jump to the argument.”

Klepper also underwent an fMRI scan of his own brain in Emory’s Facility for Education and Research in Neuroscience (FERN).

“The program did a good job of conveying a little bit of the science involved in brain imaging,” Hamann says. “These are challenging times, so it’s gratifying to be part of something aiming 5o help Americans find common ground. I like the way the program ended on a positive note, trying to get people to connect up with the political process.”

If you missed the broadcast, you can watch it on Klepper’s web site, JordanKlepperSolves.com.