The brain? It has a flexible social perception. In interactions with people from different ethnic groups, it tends to respond more inclusively when a shared national identity is made salient.
A study (National identity reconfigures brain responses from 'them' to 'us') by the University of Trento, Italy, and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), published in the international journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), sheds light on the underlying neural mechanisms.
The findings help to better understand the relationship between ethnic and national identity and have implications for improving intergroup relations in multicultural societies.
The study shows that the brain's representation of social boundaries can rapidly reorganise in response to context. The research team suggests that this neural flexibility underlies the human ability to navigate complex social environments characterised by multiple and interconnected group identities. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing effective strategies to bridge divisions and foster more harmonious intergroup relations.
The research demonstrates that even a brief reminder of a shared national identity (such as hearing a common language or seeing the flag of one's country) can alter the brain's response when viewing faces of people from different ethnic groups. In particular, a region of the frontal cortex - key for relating others to the self - shows increased engagement when processing faces from ethnic out-groups. Functional MRI reveals that the brain begins to categorise these faces as part of one's own group, while still preserving information about ethnic differences.
Gianluca Esposito, co-lead of the project and Director of the Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science at the University of Trento, comments: "This study shows that the human brain has a remarkable capacity to expand the sense of belonging, shifting from a 'us versus them' mindset to a more inclusive 'we.' When a shared identity, such as a national one, becomes salient, individuals outside one's group begin to be perceived more similarly. This suggests that, even in contexts marked by ethnic or social divisions, there are neuropsychological foundations that can support mutual recognition, reduce distance, and foster greater openness toward others. From a social cohesion perspective, these findings indicate that emphasising common identities and shared goals can help defuse oppositional dynamics and create more favourable conditions for dialogue. The most encouraging message is that social boundaries are not fixed: the brain is capable of reorganising itself, providing a concrete basis for envisioning pathways toward coexistence, reconciliation, and lasting peace."
