PLTC251

In this course, students investigate how people think and feel about politics. They consider the role of underlying psychological processes in shaping political behavior of both citizens and elites. They dive into the psychological roots of political behavior, focusing on the mechanisms of how people structure their political beliefs and make political decisions, including topics such as emotion, bias, and persuasion. Students also look at politicalpsychology of groups, and examine reasons why people dislike others, the psychological origins of political conflicts, and the pathways to compromise and cooperation. Recommended background: any 100- or 200-level politics course. Some background in psychology is useful, but not required.