Found this interesting article in the December 2015 issue of the Australasian Science Journal, on whether it might be possible to change a person's beliefs by stimulating their brain via transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).
"The study by US and UK researchers recruited 38 undergraduate students, with each reporting they held significant religious beliefs and conservative political views. Participants in the experimental condition received TMS to the pMFC for a period of 40 seconds, a process that reduces neural activity in this region for up to an hour. Control participants underwent a similar process, but with a low level of TMS that has no effect on the functioning of the pMFC.
The researchers found that those who had received TMS reported significantly less conviction in their beliefs concerning God, angels and Heaven following a reminder of death than those in the non-TMS control group. Those receiving TMS rated the immigrant’s article significantly more positively than the non-TMS controls. Together, these findings of reduced religiosity and lessened disparagement of immigrants supported the hypothesis that disruption of the pMFC temporarily weakens the strength of previously established beliefs or attitudes, limiting their effect on decision-making."
Thoughts?