This page provides additional information about this section of PSYC 3090 (MW11 – 30030), which is an Advanced Special Topics course about “Political Psychology” running in Fall 2024.
Course Description
In this course we examine the psychological bases of people’s political beliefs and actions. Political psychology is an interdisciplinary field that blends theories and approaches from political science and social psychology to examine the ways in which human psychology affects and is affected by overarching political institutions. We will go beyond describing what happens in politics (e.g., who won an election) or how it happened (e.g., who voted for whom) and instead identify explanations for why we observe certain political behavior by looking at the psychology of individuals. For example, what causes people to make decisions and form attitudes—and sometimes change their minds? Or why do individuals identify with certain political groups and not others? This course provides an introduction to the theories, methods, and findings of scientific research in political psychology that aim to explain these processes and help us to apply their insights to make sense of political behavior in the United States and beyond. We will cover a range of topics that help us to understand the psychological bases of political behavior, such as attitudes, ideology, personality, emotions, morality, knowledge, and intergroup dynamics like identity politics.
Course Details
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Semester Offered: Fall 2024
Class Number: 30030
Prerequisite: Psychology 1000 [1.1] and permission of the chairperson
Credits: 3 hours; 3 credits
Instructor: Dr. Hannah Nam