Political Psychology

Lecture 1: Introduction to Political Psychology

Ryan D. Enos
Harvard University
Department of Government

January 25, 2011

Ryan D. Enos

Political Psychology

Ryan D. Enos

Political Psychology

Would you favor or oppose the

government...promoting the
increased use of nuclear power?
favor
Republican
Democrat

57%
36%

(Pew, October 1318, 2010)

Ryan D. Enos

Political Psychology

Ryan D. Enos

Political Psychology

Nuclear Fission

Ryan D. Enos

Political Psychology

Party Identification

standard definition

Ryan D. Enos

Nuclear Fission

Party Identification

Political Psychology

standard definition
standard measurement

Ryan D. Enos

Nuclear Fission

Party Identification

X
X

X
X

Political Psychology

standard definition
standard measurement
external stability

Ryan D. Enos

Nuclear Fission

Party Identification

X
X
X

X
X
X

Political Psychology

standard definition
standard measurement
external stability
vacuum/complexity reduction

Ryan D. Enos

Nuclear Fission

Party Identification

X
X
X
X

X
X
X
X

Political Psychology

Political Psychology:
analyze politics through psychology
(mostly social and cognitive)

Ryan D. Enos

Political Psychology

Political Psychology

Ryan D. Enos

Political Psychology

Political Psychology v. Political Science

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Political Psychology

Political Psychology: behavior

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Political Psychology

Political Psychology: identity

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Political Psychology

Political Psychology is not . . .

Ryan D. Enos

Political Psychology

Structure of the Course

Part 1: Theories of Behavior and Cognition
What causes people to make (political) choices and take
(political) action?
How do people think about politics?
Topics include: voting, media, violence, cooperation . . .

Ryan D. Enos

Political Psychology

Example: cooperation

Ryan D. Enos

Political Psychology

Structure of the Course

Part 1: Theories of Behavior and Cognition
What causes people to make (political) choices and take
(political) action?
How do people think about politics?
Topics include: voting, media, violence, cooperation . . .

Ryan D. Enos

Political Psychology

Structure of the Course

Part 1: Theories of Behavior and Cognition
What causes people to make (political) choices and take
(political) action?
How do people think about politics?
Topics include: voting, media, violence, cooperation . . .
Part 2: Theories of Identity
How do people become part of a group?
When do groups matter in politics?
Topics include: partisanship, racism, prisons . . .

Ryan D. Enos

Political Psychology

Example: identity salience

Ryan D. Enos

Political Psychology

Structure of the Course

Part 1: Theories of Behavior and Cognition
What causes people to make (political) choices and take
(political) action?
How do people think about politics?
Topics include: voting, media, violence, cooperation . . .
Part 2: Theories of Identity
How do people become part of a group?
When do groups matter in politics?
Topics include: partisanship, racism, prisons . . .

Ryan D. Enos

Political Psychology

Structure of the Course

Part 1: Theories of Behavior and Cognition
What causes people to make (political) choices and take
(political) action?
How do people think about politics?
Topics include: voting, media, violence, cooperation . . .
Part 2: Theories of Identity
How do people become part of a group?
When do groups matter in politics?
Topics include: partisanship, racism, prisons . . .
Part 3: Important Topics to Consider
Elections
Inequality
Evil
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Political Psychology

How do we get there?

We dont have many answers...

Ryan D. Enos

Political Psychology

How do we get there?

We dont have many answers...

An active exploration of questions . . .
Exploration of the production of
knowledge . . .

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Political Psychology

Things that you should know . . .

Reading to be done by date marked on syllabus

five books available in the COOP
other readings on course website

Ryan D. Enos

Political Psychology

Things that you should know . . .

Reading to be done by date marked on syllabus

five books available in the COOP
other readings on course website

Join and attend a discussion section

Ryan D. Enos

Political Psychology

Things that you should know . . .

Reading to be done by date marked on syllabus

five books available in the COOP
other readings on course website

Join and attend a discussion section

Assessment:
original research (group project) with presentation and written
report
two reading quizzes
final exam

Ryan D. Enos

Political Psychology

Things that you should know . . .

Reading to be done by date marked on syllabus

five books available in the COOP
other readings on course website

Join and attend a discussion section

Assessment:
original research (group project) with presentation and written
report
two reading quizzes
final exam

Surveys: first one before next Monday

Ryan D. Enos

Political Psychology

Questions for Thursday readings:

When presented with an alternative, how do you decide what

to do?
When is a typical person presented with political alternatives?
Do you believe that people are rational when they make
decisions?
What about when they make political decisions?

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Political Psychology

Last task:

Before leaving class. . .

Consider the question handed out to you.
Without consulting anyone else, please text the keyword of
your answer to 37607 or visit the url on the paper.

Ryan D. Enos

Political Psychology