Poli 123 Political Psychology Professor Matthew Hibbing 210B SSM mhibbing@ucmerced.edu Course Description and Goals This course provides an introduction and overview to the field of political psychology. Political psychologists have applied insights of psychological science to a host of research questions relating to mass political behavior. In this course we will sample from across this broad range of topics in order to discover what ordinary people think and feel about politics. How do citizens organize their thoughts on politics? How do emotions influence political decision-making? What considerations go in to citizens racial attitudes and tolerance judgments? Do the media exert a strong influence on how citizens think about politics? In order to understand the key concepts in political psychology we will read much of this research in its original form. Students should be prepared to engage with political science research articles. General Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) for Political Science 1. An understanding of the processes, theories, and empirical regularities of political institutions and political behavior in the student s chosen emphasis area: American politics, comparative politics, or international relations. 2. An ability to employ critical thinking and demonstrate social scientific literacy, including basic quantitative literacy. 3. A capacity to utilize contemporary social science research methods to conduct rigorous research on political phenomena. 4. Effective written communication skills, especially the ability to convey complex concepts and information in a clear and concise manner. 5. An ability to apply abstract theory and research methods to understand contemporary political events and public policies. Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) By the end of this course, students will: 1. Demonstrate a general understanding of some of the basic concepts in political psychology research (satisfying PLO 1 and PLO 2). 2. Demonstrate thoughtful consumption of political psychology research, and assess both the strengths and weaknesses of this research (satisfying PLO 2). 3. Refine writing and argumentation skills, with a particular focus on making clear and concise arguments (satisfying PLO 4 and PLO 5). 4. Demonstrate cultivated writing and communication skills by working in collaborative groups (satisfying PLO 4) 2 Exams: 50% of the grade (25% each) Group Paper: 25% of the grade Group Presentation: 15% of the grade Participation: 10% of the grade Grades Exams (CLOs 1,and 3) 1
You will have two exams that will comprise 50% of your final grade (25% each). The exams will consist of multiple choice, identification, and short essay questions. Any material covered in lecture or in the readings is fair game on the exams. I expect you to take each exam as scheduled. Should you have a verifiable medical emergency or University sanctioned activity (and can document it) I will arrange for a makeup exam. If you will need a make up exam, you must notify me before the exam is given or you will get a 0. Group Paper (CLOs 1, 2, 3, and 4) You will work in groups of 3-4 students to write a group paper on one of the assigned articles this semester. The paper will be 10-12 pages long, and it will be worth 25% of your total grade. These papers will require you to draw on material from the course (lectures and readings) to make an argument. The paper can be turned in any time after your group s presentation (see below) but must be turned in no later than May 3. Groups will be determined during the first week of class. I will provide you with the specifics of the paper assignment soon, and we will discuss the expectations for the paper in class. Group Presentation (CLOs 1,2,3, and 4) In addition to the paper, your group will be expected to make a presentation to the class on the day your article is covered in class. These presentations will be worth 15% of your total grade. All group members are expected to contribute to the presentation. Presentations will take place during the last half hour of class on the day your article is assigned. We will discuss the presentations during the first week of class. Participation (CLOs 1 and 2) Attendance and participation account for 10% of your overall course grade. I will take attendance periodically. In addition to attendance, you can receive points for engaging in class discussion. Readings There are three required books for the course, all of which are available at the bookstore. Cottam, Martha L., Beth Dietz-Uhler, Elena Mastors, and Thomas Preston. 2010. Introduction to Political Psychology 2 nd edition. New York: Psychology Press. Iyengar, Shanto, and Donald R. Kinder. 2010. News that Matters: Television and American Opinion, Updated Edition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Mondak, Jeffery J. 2010. Personality and the Foundations of Political Behavior. New York: Cambridge University Press In addition to the assigned books, there are a number of journal articles assigned. These articles will be available on the course page on CROPS. Most of these articles can also be found at JSTOR (www.jstor.org). In order to access JSTOR, you must either use a university computer, or utilize the university VPN. 2
Course Policies You are expected to attend class regularly and do all assigned reading. You should make every effort to arrive on time for class and stay until dismissed. If you arrive late you should take your seat quietly so as not to disrupt your fellow students. Show respect for me and your fellow students by turning off your cell phones before class begins and refrain from talking, sleeping or eating during class. You should also adhere to the standards of academic honesty found in the College Handbook. Class schedule 1. January 17. Course introduction Review of syllabus, discussion of plan of action for the semester. 2. January 19. Introduction to political psychology -Cottam Chapter 1 3. January 24. Attitudes -Cottam pages 59-62 -Chong, Dennis. 1993. How People Think, Reason and Feel about Rights and Liberties. American Journal of Political Science 37: 867-99. 4. January 26. No Class 5. January 31. Memory Models of Information Processing Cottam pages 37-47 -Delli-Carpini, Michael X., and Scott Keeter. 1991. Stability and Change in the U.S. Public s Knowledge. Public Opinion Quarterly 55:583-612. 6. February 2. Online Processing -Lodge, Milton, Kathleen M. McGraw, and Patrick Stroh. 1989. An Impression-Driven Model of Candidate Evaluation. American Political Science Review 83:399-419. 7. February 7. Ambivalence -Zaller, John, and Stanley Feldman. 1992. A Simple Theory of Survey Response: Answering Questions versus Revealing Preferences. American Journal of Political Science 36:579-616. 8. February 9. Motivated Reasoning -Taber, Charles S., and Milton Lodge. 2006. Motivated Skepticism in the Evaluation of Political Beliefs. American Journal of Political Science 50:755-69. 9. February 14. Heuristics 1 3
-Cottam pages 131-150 -Lupia, Arthur. 1994. Shortcuts versus Encyclopedias: Information and Voting Behavior in California Insurance Reform Elections. American Political Science Review 88:63-76. 10. February 16. Heuristics 2 -Kuklinski, James H., and Norman L. Hurley. 1994. On Hearing and Interpreting Political Messages: A Cautionary Tale of Citizen Cue-Taking. Journal of Politics 56:729-51. 11. February 21. Emotions 1 Cottam pages 49-59 -Marcus, George E., and Michael B. MacKuen. 1993. Anxiety, Enthusiasm, and the Vote: The Emotional Underpinnings of Learning and Involvement During Presidential Campaigns. American Political Science Review 87:672-85. 12. February 23. Emotions 2 -Oxley, Douglas R., Kevin B. Smith, John R. Alford, Matthew V. Hibbing, Jennifer L. Miller, Mario Scalora, Peter K. Hatemi, and John R. Hibbing. 2008. Political Attitudes Vary With Physiological Traits. Science 321:1667-70. 13. February 28. Media Agenda-Setting 1 -Iyengar and Kinder Chatpers 2-5 14. March 1. Media Agenda-Setting 2 -Iyengar and Kinder Chapters 6-9 15. March 6. Exam Review 16. March 8. Exam 1 17. March 13. Media Framing. -Cottam pages 150-153 -Nelson, Thomas E, Rosalee A. Clawson, and Zoe M. Oxley. 1997. Media Framing of a Civil Liberties Conflict and Its Effect on Tolerance. American Political Science Review 91:567-83. 18. March 15. Media Negativity -Mutz, Diana C., and Byron Reeves. 2005. The New Videomalaise: Effects of Televised Incivility on Political Trust. American Political Science Review 99:1-15. 19. March 20. Political Trust 4
-Hetherington, Marc J. 1998. The Political Relevance of Political Trust. American Political Science Review 92:791-808. 20. March 22. Genetics and Politics -Alford, John R., Carolyn L. Funk, and John R. Hibbing. 2005. Are Political Orientations Genetically Transmitted? American Political Science Review 99:153-67. 21. March 27 and 29. Spring break. No class. 22. April 3. Personality 1-Early Perspectives Cottam Chapter 2 -Pratto, Felicia, Jim Sidanius, Lisa M. Stallworth, and Bertram F. Malle. 1994. Social Dominance Orientation: A Personality Variable Predicting Social and Political Attitudes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 67:741-63. -Mondak Chapter 1 23. April 5. Personality 2-The Big Five -Mondak Chapters 2 and 3 24. April 10. Personality 3-The Big Five continued -Mondak Chapters 4, 5, and 6 25. April 12. No Class 26. April 17. Tolerance 1 -Sullivan, John L., James Piereson, and George E. Marcus. 1979. An Alternative Conceptualization of Political Tolerance: Illusory Increases 1950s-1970s. American Political Science Review 73:781-94. 27. April 19. Tolerance 2 -Gibson, James L. 1988. Political Intolerance and Political Repression During the McCarthy Red Scare. American Political Science Review 82:511-29. 28. April 24. Racial Attitudes 1 -Cottam Chapter 7 -Peffley, Mark, Jon Hurwitz, and Paul M. Sniderman. 1997. Racial Stereotypes and Whites Political Views of Blacks in the Context of Welfare and Crime. American Journal of Political Science 41:30-60. 29. April 26. Racial Attitudes 2 5
-Kuklinski, James H., Paul M. Sniderman, Kathleen Knight, Thomas Piazza, Philip E. Tetlock, Gordon R. Lawrence, and Barbara Mellers. 1997. Racial Prejudice and Attitudes Toward Affirmative Action. American Journal of Political Science 41:402-419. 30. May 1. Exam Review 31. May 3. Exam 2 **Group papers must be turned in no later than at the second exam on May 3 6