PS 267 Intro to Political Psychology.pdf - Department of Political ...

Introduction to Political Fall 2013Psychology (POLI SCI 267)Professor Jonathan Renshon: renshon@wisc.eduOffice location: North Hall 406T/ThOffice hours: Thursday (1-3pm, via UW Schedule Assistant) 9:30-10:45: http://jonathanrenshon.com/Site/IntroPolPsych.html Humanities 12211 Course DescriptionThis course is the undergraduate Introduction to Political Psychology. No background in politicalscience or psychology is required, though those that do have experience in these areas are, of course,welcome and appreciated. The goal of the course is to introduce you to some of the major topicsand questions in Political Psychology, such as:• Where do our political beliefs come from?• How do we decide who to vote for?• How do emotions affect us? Should emotions affect our beliefs and actions?• Are some types of personalities better suited to be President?• Is it possible to ‘psychologically profile’ dictators?• How do our leaders decide whether to go to war?Along the way, as we delve into these and other topics, we will discuss methodology, and learnabout how different approaches can yield different (and sometimes conflicting) answers. The coursewill consist of a combination of lectures, presentations by students and discussions.2 GuidelinesFor this specific class:• If you have a question, or want to know if a reading is available, please check my website forany announcements and download the latest copy of the syllabus before emailing.• If you ever have any questions, or are confused about something, please do not hesitate tocome to office hours and meet with me. Please also consider making an appointment just tointroduce yourself and tell me how the course is going. Office hours are Thursday between 1-3pm, and you can make an appointment at the following website: https://calendar.wisc.edu/scheduling-assistant/public/profiles/jSWjsloX.html. If you are unavailable atthat time due to a conflict with another class, you can email me to schedule an appointment.1

• You are responsible for the readings listed under each class.• If you are not presenting that class, then you are not responsible for reading the PresentationReadings, unless specifically noted (you will get an email reminder in theses cases).• In terms of exams, you are responsible for all of the all of the readings and anything discussedin class. Thus, you may be asked about something in the Presentation Reading if it wasdiscussed in class.• If you have a disability or circumstance that could affect your performance, please contactme early in the semester so that we can consider accommodations. The McBurney Centerfor Disability Services can provide official documentation of disabilities.• Obviously, academic misconduct is not tolerated. Please make sure you are familiar with thepolicies outlined by the Dean of Students.Some basic guidelines for this class (these probably apply to any class you take):• Do the readings in preparation for each class. If you miss one, don’t ignore it and move on,but make an effort to catch up.• Come to class on time.• It’s fine to use a computer to take notes, but please don’t bring your computer so you canwrite emails and read the news during class (it’s much more obvious than you realize).• There are legitimate reasons to have to miss class, but if you must, please email me ahead oftime to let me know.• If you have any questions about anything related to the course, email me and I will do mybest to get back to you within 24 hours.• One exception: I will not respond to emails sent the night before an assignment is due orbefore a midterm or final exam.3 Assignments1. Keep up with the readings and be prepared to discuss them in class.2. Sign up for one presentation slot. For that slot, you will be responsible for:(a) carefully reading the designated Presentation Reading(b) presenting it to the class (in about 5-6 minutes). Feel free to use slides if you’d like,though if you’d like to do that, please come to class a few minutes early to set those up.(c) helping to lead a short discussion on your topic2

(d) on the day of your presentation, turning in a short, 2-page response paper on thereading you are presenting. Your paper should briefly summarize the work in question,and then critique it (e.g. what would you have done differently if you wrote that paper?What questions did it raise that were particularly interesting? etc.). The paper shouldbe turned in as a (stapled) hard-copy to me during class on the day you present. If youare presenting as part of team of two people, you are each responsible for your own,individual (and not identical) response papers.3. Complete and turn in the two assignments during the semester. They are both (short!) onlinesurveys that you will take prior to the class where we discuss them.4 GradingYour final grade will be composed of:• 35% - Class Participation (includes presentation + response paper)• 25% - In-class Midterm• 40% - Final Exam5 Readings Used in the CourseJournal articles and edited book chapters - These are generally available through the UWLibrary website. If they are not accessible online, then there will be a clickable link on the syllabus.Textbooks- You may wish to purchase these, but readings will (unless noted) be available online.1. Introduction to Political Psychology (2nd ed.), Martha L. Cottam, Beth Dietz-Uhler, ElenaMastors & Thomas Preston (Taylor & Francis, 2010).⇒ Abbreviation on list of reading(s): ITPP.2. Political Psychology: Key Readings, edited by John T. Jost & Jim Sidanius (Taylor & Francis,2004).⇒ Abbreviation on list of reading(s): PP.3. Oxford Handbook of Political Psychology, edited by David O. Sears, Leonie Huddy & RobertJervis (Oxford University Press, 2003).⇒ Abbreviation on list of reading(s): OHPP.3

Schedule1. Introduction [September 3]• NO READINGS2. What is Political Psychology? [September 5]• ITPP Chapter 1: Political Psychology: Introduction and Overview, pp. 1-12 [link]• What is Political Psychology? (2003), in Political Psychology, Morton Deutsch & CatarinaKinnvall; edited by Kristen Renwick Monroe (Lawrence Earlbaum Associates), pp.15-42 [link]3. How do you measure beliefs and perceptions? (I)? [September 10]• Experimental Methodology in Political Science (2002), Rose McDermott, Political Analysis10: 325-342• What do Laboratory Experiments Measuring Social Preferences Reveal about the RealWorld (2007)?, Steven D. Levitt & John A. List, Journal of Economic Perspectives 21/2:153-174Presentation reading(s):(a) How Large and Long-lasting Are the Persuasive Effects of Televised Campaign Ads?Results form a Randomized Field Experiment (2011), Alan S. Gerber, James P. Gimpel,Donald P. Green & Daron R. Shaw, American Political Science Review 105/1: 135-150(b) Testosterone and Aggression in a Simulated Crisis Game (2007), Rose McDermott, DominicJohnson, Jonathan Cowden & Stephen Rosen, ANNALS of the American Academyof Political and Social Science 614/1: 15-334. How do you measure beliefs and perceptions (II)? [September 12]• A Practical Guide to the Comparative Case Study Method in Political Psychology(1999), Juliet Kaarbo & Ryan K. Beasley, Political Psychology, 20/2: 369-391.• The Evolution of Operational Code Analysis (1990), Stephen G. Walker, Political Psychology11/2: 403-4184

Presentation reading(s):(a) When Public Statements Reveal Private Beliefs: Assessing Operational Codes at a Distance(2009), Jonathan Renshon, Political Psychology 30/4: 649-6615. Where do Political Preferences Come from? [September 17]• Not Your Parents’ Political Socialization: Introduction for a New Generation (2004),Virginia Shapiro, Annual Review of Political Science 7: 1-23• OHPP: Childhood and Adult Political Development, David O. Sears & Sheri Levy, pp.60-109 [link]• Biology, Politics and the Emerging Science of Human Nature (2008), James H. Fowler& Darren Schreiber, Science 322: 912-914Presentation reading(s):(a) Twin Studies of Political Behavior: Untenable Assumptions? (2008), Jon Beckwith &Corey A. Morris, Perspectives on Politics 6/4: 785-7916. Bounded Rationality (I): Rationality [September 19]• Rationality as Process and as Product of Thought (1978), Herbert A. Simon, AmericanEconomic Review 68/2: 1-16• Psychology and Rational Actor Theory (1995), Kristen Renwick Monroe, Political Psychology16/1: 1-21Presentation reading(s):(a) PP: Contrasting Rational and Psychological Analysis of Political Choice, George A.Quattrone & Amos Tversky, pp. 244-258 [link]7. Bounded Rationality (II): Biases & Heuristics [September 24]• ITPP (Part of) Chapter 3: Cognition, Identity, Emotions and Attitudes, pp. 39-43[link]• Bounded Rationality (1999), Bryan D. Jones, Annual Review of Political Science 2:297-3215

• A Perspective on Judgment and Choice: Mapping Bounded Rationality (2003), DanielKahneman, American Psychologist 58/9: 697-720Presentation reading(s):(a) Advantages and Disadvantages of Cognitive Heuristics in Political Decision Making(2001), Richard R. Lau & David P. Redlawsk, American Journal of Political Science45/4: 951-971.(b) Reconsidering the Rational Public: Cognition, Heuristics and Mass Opinion (2000), inElements of Reason: Cognition, Choice and the Bounds of Rationality, James H. Kuklinski& Paul J. Quirk; edited by A. Lupia, M.D. McCubbins & S.L. Popkin (CambridgeUniversity Press), pp. 153-182 [link]8. Priming and Framing [September 26]• Framing Theory (2007), Dennis Chong & James N. Druckman, Annual Review of PoliticalScience 10: 103-126Presentation reading(s):(a) On the Limits of Framing Effects: Who Can Frame? (2001), James N. Druckman, Journalof Politics 63/4: 1041-1066(b) PP: Altering the Foundations of Support for the President Through Priming, John A.Krosnick & Donald R. Kinder, pp. 150-162 [link]9. Emotions (I): Individual Level/Background [October 1]• Affect and Emotion (2009), in Political Psychology: Situations, Individuals and Cases,David Patrick Houghton (Routledge), pp. 132-142 [link]• The Role of Affect in Decision Making (2003), in Handbook of Affective Science, GeorgeLoewenstein & Jennifer S. Lerner; edited by R. Davidson, H. Goldsmith & K. Scherer(Oxford University Press, NY), pp. 619-642 [link]Presentation reading(s):(a) The Feeling of Rationality: The Meaning of Neuroscientific Advances for Political Science(2004), Rose McDermott, Perspectives on Politics 2/4: 691-706(b) Emotion Priming and Attributions for Terrorism: Americans’ Reactions in a NationalField Experiment (2006), Deborah A. Small, Jennifer S. Lerner & Baruch Fischoff, PoliticalPsychology 27/2: 289-2986

10. Emotions (II): Implications for the Political System [October 3]• It’s My Campaign and I’ll Cry if I Want To: How and When Campaigns Use EmotionalAppeals (2011), Travis N. Ridout & Kathleen Searles, Political Psychology 32/3: 439-458• Affect as Information: The Role of Public Mood in Political Reasoning (2000), in Elementsof Reason: Cognition, Choice and the Bounds of Rationality, Wendy M. Rahn ;edited by A. Lupia, M.D. McCubbins & S.L. Popkin (Cambridge University Press), pp.130-152 [link]Presentation reading(s):(a) Striking a Responsive Chord: How Political Ads Motivate and Persuade Voters by Appealingto Emotions (2005), Ted Brader, American Journal of Political Science 49/2:388-405.(b) Affect and Cognition in Party Identification (2005), Barry C. Burden & Casey A. Klofstad,Political Psychology 26/6: 869-88611. Personality and Politics (I): Background and Big 5 [October 8]⇒Assignment 1: Take online “Big 5” Personality Test. Available at: http://www.personalitytest.org.uk/• ITPP Chapter 2: Personality and Politics, pp. 13-36 [link]• The Big 5 Approach (2010), in Personality and the Foundations of Political Behavior,Jeffrey J. Mondak (Cambridge University Press), pp. 24-65 [link]Presentation reading(s):(a) The Big Five Personality Traits in the Political Arena (2011), Alan S. Gerber, GregoryA. Huber, David Doherty & Conor M. Dowling, Annual Review of Political Science 14:265-28712. Personality and Politics (II): Presidential Character and Personality [October 10]• The Presidential Character (1993), in Political Psychology: Classic and ContemporaryReadings, James David Barber; edited by N.J. Kressel (Paragon House), pp. 127-137[link]7

• Classifying and Predicting Presidential Styles: Two ‘Weak’ Presidents (1968) James D.Barber, Journal of Social Issues 24/3: 51-80.Presentation reading(s):(a) Presidential Difference in the Early Republic: The Highly Disparate Leadership Stylesof Washington, Adams and Jefferson (2006), Fred I. Greenstein, Presidential StudiesQuarterly 36/3: 373-390.13. Personality and Politics (III): The Authoritarian Personality and Social Dominance [October15]• PP: The Authoritarian Personality and the Organization of Attitudes, Roger Brown,pp. 39-68 [link]• PP: The Other “Authoritarian Personality,” Bob Altemeyer, pp. 85-107 [link]• PP: Social Dominance Theory: A New Synthesis, Jim Sidanius and Felicia Pratto, pp.315-332 [link]Presentation reading(s):(a) The Authoritarian Personality, 50 Years Later: What Questions Are There for PoliticalPsychology? (2001), John Levi Martin, Political Psychology 22/1: 1-2614. FILM [October 17]15. Personality and Politics (IV): Psychological Profiling of Leaders [October 22]• Leader Personality Assessments in Support of Government Policy (2005) in The PsychologicalAssessment of Political Leaders, Jerrold M. Post; edited by Jerrold M. Post(University of Michigan Press, MI), pp. 39-61 [link]• Saddam Hussein: Personality Traits and Motivational Biases, Walter Weintraub andDavid Winter, pp. 367-374 [link]• Saddam Hussein: Beliefs and Integrative Complexity, Stephen G. Walker, Mark Schafer,Michael D. Young & Peter Suedfeld, pp. 387–398 [link]Presentation reading(s):8

(a) Saddam Hussein of Iraq: A Political Psychology Profile, Jerrold M. Post, pp. 335-366[link]16. Midterm Review [October 24]17. in-class midterm [October 29]18. Ideology, Belief Systems and ‘Implicit’ Attitudes [October 31]⇒ Assignment: Take online Implicit Association Test for Gender-Career. Available at:https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/selectatest.html• The Implicit Association Test at Age 7: A Methodological and Conceptual Review(2007), in Automatic Processes in Social Thinking and Behavior, Brian A. Nosek, AnthonyG. Greenwald & Mahzarin R. Banaji; edited by J.A. Bargh (Psychology Press),pp. 265-292 [link]• PP: Does Ideology Exist?, pp. 177-180 [link]• PP: The Nature of Beliefs Systems in Mass Publics, Philip E. Converse, pp. 181-199[link]Presentation reading(s):(a) PP: Cognitive Style and Political Belief Systems in the British House of Commons,Philip E. Tetlock, pp. 230-240 [link](b) Attributions of Implicit Prejudice, or “Would Jesse Jackson ‘Fail’ the Implicit AssociationTest?” (2004), Hal R. Arkes & Philip E. Tetlock, Psychological Inquiry 15/4:257-27819. Values and Trade-offs [November 5]• OHPP: Values, Ideology, and the Structure of Political Attitudes, Stanley Feldman, pp.477-510 [link]9

• Groupthink (1993), in Political Psychology: Classic and Contemporary Readings, IrvingJanis; edited by N.J. Kressel (Paragon House), pp. 360-366 [link]• Twenty-Five Years of Groupthink Theory and Research: Lessons from the Evaluation ofa Theory (1998), Marlene E. Turner & Anthony R. Pratkanis, Organizational Behaviorand Human Decision Processes 73/3: 105-115Presentation reading(s):(a) Case Studies in Low-Quality Decision Making (2010) in Groupthink vs. High-QualityDecision-Making in International Relations, Mark Schafer and Scott Crichlow (ColumbiaUniversity Press, New York), pp. 81-122 [link]23. Elite Decision-Making & Prospect Theory [November 19]• ITPP Chapter 5: The Study of Political Leaders, pp. 101-130 [link]• Prospect Theory, Rational Choice and International Relations (1997) Jack S. Levy, InternationalStudies Quarterly 41/1: 87-112.Presentation reading(s):(a) Who Takes Risks? Daring and Caution in Foreign Policy Making (1997), Paul Kowert& Margaret Hermann, Journal of Conflict Resolution 41/5: 611-637.(b) Prospect Theory in International Relations: The Iranian Hostage Rescue Mission (1992)Rose McDermott, Political Psychology 13/2: 237-263.24. Psychology and International Relations (I): Background [November 21]• ITPP Chapter 12: The Political Psychology of International Security and Conflict, pp.293-316 [link]• OHPP: Political Psychology and Foreign Policy, Jack S. Levy, 253-284 [link]Presentation reading(s):(a) Psychology and International Relations Theory (2001), J.M. Goldgeier & Philip E. Tetlock,Annual Review of Political Science 4: 67-9225. Psychology and International Relations (II): Terrorism [November 26]11

• PP: The Psychology of Political Terrorism, Martha Crenshaw, pp. 411-431 [link]• The Psychology of Terrorism “Syndrome” Versus “Tool” Perspectives (2006), Arie W.Kruglanski & Shira Fishman, Terrorism and Political Violence 18: 193-215Presentation reading(s):(a) The Mind of the Terrorist: A Review and Critique of Psychological Approaches (2005),Jeff Victoroff, Journal of Conflict Resolution 49/1: 3-4226. Psychology and International Relations (III): Defining the Situation [December 3]• Metaphors and Foreign Policy Decision Making (1994), Keith L. Shimko, Political Psychology15/4: 655-671• The Role of Analogical Reasoning in Novel Foreign-Policy Situations (1996), DavidPatrick Houghton, British Journal of Political Science 26/4: 523-552Presentation reading(s):(a) Impact of Analogical Reasoning on US Foreign Policy towards Kosovo (2006), AidanHehir, Journal of Peace Research 43/1: 67-8127. Psychology and International Relations IV: Decision-Making in Wartime [December 5]• The Rubicon Theory of War: How the Path to Conflict Reaches the Point of No Return(2011), Dominic D.P. Johnson & Dominic Tierney, International Security, 36/1: 7-40.• War and Misperception (1988), Robert Jervis, Journal of Interdisciplinary History 18/4:675-700Presentation reading(s):(a) A Cognitive Analysis of Japan’s 1941 Decision for War (1980), Ariel Levi & Philip E.Tetlock, Journal of Conflict Resolution 24/2: 195-211(b) Misperception and the Causes of War: Theoretical Linkages and Analytical Problems(1983), Jack S. Levy, World Politics 36/1: 76-9912

28. TBD [December 10]29. Review & Discussion of Final Exam [December 12]13