Political psychology is concerned with understanding how individuals both think and feel about politics, and how these psychological factors shape political behavior. This graduate seminar provides an introduction to the study of political psychology in the United States. Because this seminar is designed to be an introduction to the field, we will cover a wide range of topics in American politics that have been studied through a psychological lens. Topics we will cover include the source of political opinions and attitudes (e.g. socialization, genetics and politics, social influence), the role of personality and emotions in shaping political behavior, the importance of "motivated reasoning" in public opinion, the origins of misperceptions and conspiracy theories about politics, and the relationship between politically salient groups.
Syllabus available here.