What makes the brain vulnerable to ideology?

In this episode of The Mindset Economy, hosts Jean Gomes and Scott Allender are joined by neuroscientist and author Dr Leor Zmigrod to explore the psychology and neuroscience of ideological thinking and what makes any of us vulnerable to rigid belief systems.

Leor’s research shows that ideology is not defined by what you believe, but by how you believe it. When thinking becomes inflexible, fused with identity, and resistant to evidence, the brain narrows. Cognitive flexibility declines. Empathy can weaken. Even our physiological responses to other people’s suffering can change.

The conversation moves beyond politics into the difference between values and ideologies, the myth that intelligence protects us from dogmatism, and why uncertainty makes certainty feel irresistible. It also explores how AI shifts radicalisation from passive consumption to active dialogue, potentially reinforcing bias and rigidity in new and powerful ways. How often do we confuse conviction with clarity and what would it take to cultivate the kind of flexibility that allows us to think freely in a polarised, AI-accelerated world?

For leaders, parents, and anyone trying to remain thoughtful under pressure, this is a scientific and deeply human exploration of how belief systems shape the brain - and how we might protect our capacity for judgment, empathy, and freedom.

Reading from Dr Leor Zmigrod:
The Ideological Brain: How Rigid Beliefs Harm Our Minds & Bodies – And Why It Matters (L Zmigrod, Penguin, 2026)

Reading from Jean Gomes and Scott Allender:
Leading In A Non-Linear World (J Gomes, Wiley, 2023)
The Enneagram of Emotional Intelligence (S Allender, Baker Books, 2023)

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The Mindset Economy Podcast is researched, written and presented by Jean Gomes and Scott Allender with production by Phil Kerby. It is an Outside Consulting Ltd production.