USPP
Unit for the Study of Personality in Politics
The Psychology of Politics
Draft table of contents and partial chapter outline of The Psychology of Politics (3rd ed.), in preparation
Aubrey Immelman, St. John's University
William F. Stone, University of Maine
Paul Paul E. Shaffner, Bowdoin College
PART I: INTRODUCTION
General introduction to the modern field of political psychology.
Chapter 1. The Field of Political Psychology
The historical background of political psychology.
Contemporary issues in the field.
Chapter 2. Politics and Psychology: Interaction
Conceptual systems.
Multiple orientations to the study of political behavior (political acts are influenced by the historical environment; political culture; current events; the immediate situation; and biological drives, motives, emotions, and thought processes).
Macro and micro political psychology.
Personality vs. the social approach.
Methods guiding current theory and practice.
Survey method vs. experimental method.
PART II: COGNITIVE AND AFFECTIVE BASES OF POLITICS
Intrapsychic concepts.
Issues at the forefront of political psychology (the roots of political behavior in human thinking and emotion).
The cognitive revolution.
The role of emotion in political behavior.
Chapter 3. Political Cognition and Decision Making
Chapter 4. Affect and Motivation in Politics
PART III: THE PERSON IN POLITICS
Interpersonal processes (mostly of a social or developmental nature).
Psychological perspectives on important political processes.
Temperament, character, and personality and how these internal dispositions are shaped by external influences to shape political attitudes, values, ideologies, and political behavior.
Chapter 5. Political Attitudes, Values, and Ideology
Chapter 6. Political Socialization
Chapter 7. Political Personality
Psychological examination of political leaders.
Public psychology.
PART IV: PARTICIPATION IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS
Societal-level political processes.
The diverse manifestations of political participation.
Chapter 8. Citizen Politics: Organizing, Voting, Protesting, and Alienation
The "mass politics" of ordinary citizens.
Chapter 9. Elite Politics: Leadership
Chapter 10. Public Opinion and the Media
Chapter 11. Psychological Bases of Conflict and Conflict Resolution
The origins of conflict.
Conflict resolution, conciliation, bargaining, negotiation.
The roles of citizens (masses) and leaders (elites).
Page maintained by Aubrey Immelman, USPP director and Suzanne Wetzel, USPP contributor
www.csbsju.edu/uspp/Resources/ToC.html
Last modified: 04/16/2000