When it comes to voting for a politician, your emotions may play a part in why you pick one candidate over another, says Drew Westen, author of The Political Brain: The Role of Emotion in Deciding the Fate of the Nation. Dr. Oz talks with Drew, a professor of psychology and psychiatry at Emory University, about his book and why political strategists should take a closer look at the functions of the brain when planning a campaign.

In 2006, Drew led a study in which scientists discovered that the area of the brain that controls emotion may take over reasoning abilities when it comes to believing in a political candidate. "If you want to win hearts and minds, you start with heart because otherwise people don't care much what is on your mind," Drew says.

Drew says politicians can better influence voters by changing the way they answer questions—by thinking of the emotional impact of their words instead of just discussing the issue. "It's not about just laying out the facts and figures," he says. The role of emotion can make or break a candidate, and Drew says strong emotion is the key. "The mark of a good politician is, can he throw a good punch and can he have a good punch line?" Drew says.