Political psychology centers on an enduring question: How do citizens make political judgments, and what do those judgments mean for democratic life? This interdisciplinary subfield acknowledges that people do not approach politics as blank slates. Instead, citizens bring established social attachments and individual psychological dispositions to bear when making judgments about political candidates, parties, policies, and institutions.
This course introduces students to the field of political psychology by examining how psychological theories, concepts, and methods help us understand political judgment and behavior. Throughout the semester, we will consider questions that are central to the study of political psychology, including: how individuals form and organize their belief systems; why they resist information that challenges those beliefs; how social identities, stereotypes, and threat perception structure group evaluations; and how emotions motivate political participation and information-seeking.
This course introduces students to the field of political psychology by examining how psychological theories, concepts, and methods help us understand political judgment and behavior. Throughout the semester, we will consider questions that are central to the study of political psychology, including: how individuals form and organize their belief systems; why they resist information that challenges those beliefs; how social identities, stereotypes, and threat perception structure group evaluations; and how emotions motivate political participation and information-seeking.
- المعلم: Carlos Rueda-Cañón