Course Description
Examination of how psychological processes and concepts can influence political attitudes and behavior. This includes various aspects of human psychology, such as personality, motivation, values, and morality, as well as information processing, emotions, and group identities.
Athena Title
Political Psychology
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in POLS 4400E, POLS 4400H
Prerequisite
POLS 1101 or POLS 1101E or POLS 1101H or POLS 1101S
Semester Course Offered
Not offered on a regular basis.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
This course has three aims: First, understanding how individual-level processes, such as cognition, emotions, and personality, as well as group-level processes, such as conformity, prejudice, and social identities, affect political attitudes and behavior. Second, learning about different ways to study political psychology empirically. Third, applying concepts examined in class to evaluate the competency of the American public (or really any public) for political decision- making, thinking, and behavior.
Topical Outline
a. Experimental Research in Political Science b. Political Cognition c. Political Group Identities d. Intergroup Relations e. Personality and Politics f. Political Ideology and Values g. Political Development h. Biology and Politics i. Emotions in Politics j. Priming and Framing in Political Communication
Syllabus