Political psychology

Political psychology is an academic field that applies psychological research methods to politics. As a subfield of psychology, political psychology focuses on understanding all matters related to politics within a psychological context. Political psychology utilizes approaches from many other academic fields such as sociology, history, economics, philosophy, and anthropology. Theory and data derived from the psychological study of political behaviors have been useful in understanding voting behavior, wartime behavior, leadership personalities, and acts of terrorism. Research in political psychology has provided much insight into the vast and complex political processes and attitudes observed around the world.

Background

Political psychology developed out of several academic disciplines throughout the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The field is believed to have originated in Western Europe, particularly in France and Italy. Behaviors related to the French Revolution and Italy's unification during the late nineteenth century piqued the interests of a number of philosophers and sociologists who sought to make sense of revolutionary actions. Austrian neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud further contributed to the field of political psychology with his studies of personality characteristics. Freud was especially fascinated with studying the behaviors of political leaders. His psychobiography of American president Woodrow Wilson, which analyzed how Wilson's personality affected his leadership skills, is commonly mentioned as an important text in the further development of political psychology.

Freud's studies in political personalities influenced the work of American political scientist Harold Lasswell, who went on to publish Psychopathology and Politics in 1930, a foundational text of political psychology. Lasswell's work combined his expertise in political science with psychological methods to gain a better understanding of mass violence, outbreaks of wars, and political movements. Lasswell studied the relationship between low self-esteem and the pursuit of power in politics. He also researched the link between personality and propaganda, and examined the use of propaganda during wartime.

As the field further developed throughout the mid-twentieth century, political psychology research dipped into multiple areas, including the psychology of decision-making and voting behaviors, the cognition of warfare, terrorism, political alignments and structures, foreign policy, and political processes. Methods of political psychology research became extremely useful following the end of World War II (1939–1945), specifically concerning social behaviors during the Holocaust. The brutalities committed at Nazi concentration camps during the war shocked observers around the world. Researchers and psychologists desired to understand how a civilized society of Germans could choose to participate in the systematic elimination of millions of people. Why would an entire citizenry comply with a fascist regime and carry out such atrocious duties? Researchers traced the foundations of authoritarian societies and collective behaviors to find answers, with many theories arising from such studies.

By the 1970s, the field of political psychology had firmly established itself in the realm of academia. The Handbook of Political Psychology, edited by Jeanne N. Knutson, was published in 1973. The text drew on works of psychology, sociology, and political science. Knutson then founded the International Society of Political Psychology in 1978 and began publishing the periodical Political Psychology that same year. The field continued developing throughout the twenty-first century, becoming an important discipline in both psychology and political science circles.

Overview

Political psychology deals with the behavior of individuals within a particular political system. Studies primarily focus on political psychology as it relates to individuals, leaders, intragroup process, and international relations. Political behaviors cannot be explained through psychological or political terms alone, as many different factors contribute to public reaction in a political setting. Political psychology applies scientific principles from a vast array of academic disciplines to study and learn from complex political thought processes around the globe.

The ultimate goal of many studies in individual political psychology is to predict how a given population will behave in a specific political circumstance. A basic example of political psychology research is the investigation into how factors such as age, race, gender, and household income can affect an individual's voting behavior. Research has also focused on the different psychologies of certain political parties and religious organizations. Studies have shown that a person's moral principles can predict which political candidate they will choose. Political psychology has also examined why some people are not politically active and how this behavior relates to demographics.

Political psychologists are also very interested in how political campaigning and propaganda influences the public's political thoughts and behaviors. Studies have shown that the way candidates frame their political campaign can greatly affect the behavior of voters. For instance, research into the effects of political attack ads on viewers has shown such negative campaigning can foster political extremism among voters while at the same time making them less likely to vote. Media coverage of politics also plays an important role in the political psychology of the individual, as does the state of the economy during a campaign.

A great deal of political psychology research throughout the years has focused on understanding the psychology of political leaders. Studies have led to the categorization of types of leaders and their effectiveness during various social and political circumstances. Research has also sought to characterize the core traits of leaders to examine how they will utilize their power. Scholars also consider a leader's relations with his or her constituents, trying to understand under what kind of governance specific societies operate best.

Political psychologists also focus their research on group dynamics and how groups make decisions together. Many studies show group logic does not often lead to more accurate decision-making. Rather, group consensuses are often made to avoid offense in other group members. Such a phenomenon is known as groupthink. This process can also lead to an occurrence referred to as group polarization, a process by which opinions and choices become more extreme when examined in a group setting than when reflected upon at an individual level.

International relations are another important area of political psychology research. Studies focus on how and why international conflict arises. Some political psychologists argue that international conflict is a consequence of the desire for social dominance, and societies engage in conflict to retain their dominant status in the world. Psychological investigations into the politics of conflict also extend into international relations dealing with prejudice, alliances, and terrorism. Terroristic behaviors became particularly relevant in the United States following the terror attacks of September 11, 2001. Research focused on the psychopathology of terrorists as well as the motivations of individuals to join terrorist groups in an effort to develop measures to thwart such behaviors.

Bibliography

"About ISPP." International Society of Political Psychology, www.ispp.org/about. Accessed 17 May 2017.

"Lasswell, Harold (1902–1978)." Encyclopedia of Political Communication. Edited by Lynda Lee Kaid and Christina Holtz-Bacha, Sage, 2008.

The Oxford Handbook of Political Psychology. Edited by Leonie Huddy, David O. Sears, and Jack S. Levy, Oxford UP, 2013.

"Political Psychology." Encyclopedia of Philosophy and the Social Sciences. Edited by Byron Kaldis, Sage, 2013.

"Political Psychology." Encyclopedia of Social Psychology. Edited by Roy F. Baumeister and Kathleen D. Vohs, Sage, 2007.

Rieff, Philip. "The Origins of Freud's Political Psychology." Journal of the History of Ideas, vol. 17, no. 2, 1956, pp. 235–49.

Stone, Susanne, et al. "Political Psychology." WIREs Cognitive Science, vol. 5, no. 4, 2014, pp. 373–85.

Stone, William F., and Paul E. Schaffner. The Psychology of Politics. Springer, 1988.