Political Psychology of Masses
| Module title | Political Psychology of Masses |
|---|---|
| Module code | POC3051 |
| Academic year | 2021/2 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Lamprini Rori (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 22 |
|---|
Module description
When we study political attitudes and behaviour we are often content to look at what is influenced by certain political attitudes. Or we look at socio-economic correlates with attitudes and behaviours from terrorism, racism and intolerance to voting. In other words, we ignore what is often referred to as the “black box”, or the psychological processes and dynamics that lie behind these attitudes and behaviours. Political psychology focuses explicitly on the “black box.” In this module, you will look at the psychology of mass political behaviour, looking first at the kinds of factors that seem to lead to ostensibly normal people engaging in abnormal behaviour, such as committing atrocities, and then at explanations for more benign behaviour such as voting and vote preferences. Political psychology is a relatively new subfield of Politics that has provided a wealth of new insights and approaches to the study of politics, many of which you will encounter in this module.
No prior knowledge skills or experience are required to take this module and it is suitable for specialist and non-specialist students.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module aims to equip you with the tools to describe and evaluate political psychological theories of decision-making at the mass level and thus with the skills to develop your own ideas about what drives mass political attitudes and behaviours. The module begins by focusing on socialization and other explanations for where political attitudes come from before surveying a number of major topics within the field, including explanations for various kinds of violence and racism. You will learn about different theoretical perspectives and how to apply them to different examples in the study of mass behaviour. You will have the opportunity to discuss and evaluate contending theoretical perspectives and to bring theory and practice together to form their own perspectives. You will be encouraged to think critically about all of the key concepts that are explored in the module and to think about how they relate to wider questions and debates in Politics and International Relations (but also in psychology and history) about mass public opinion and behaviours. Using a range of learning methods including group presentations, research-based problem-solving exercises, film analysis, and general discussion and debate, you will have the opportunity to consider explanations of what masses do - in societies throughout the world – and how they shape contemporary world politics.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate detailed knowledge of the major theories of mass political attitudes and behaviour in the field of political psychology in oral and written work;
- 2. evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different theories and research about mass political attitudes and behaviour in oral and written work;
- 3. apply a range of psychological theories to mass decision-making in oral and written work;
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. use key concepts pertaining to mass political attitudes and behaviour in oral and written work;
- 5. synthesize and critique a variety of theories and arguments in the field in your written work;
- 6. demonstrate a deep understanding of the implications of new evidence for a given theory of mass political attitudes and behaviour in your oral and written work;
- 7. demonstrate that you understand different methods of research in the field and their implications for findings in your oral and written work;
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 8. work independently including presentations for class discussion, and in spontaneous discussion and defence of arguments, and to manage conflict;
- 9. demonstrate oral and written analytical and organizational skills in essays, presentations and discussion; and
- 10. write essays effectively, using a range of appropriate materials, and working to a deadline.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
1. An Introduction to Political Psychology & Mass Decision-Making
Key concepts in mass political psychology
2. Political Socialization
Where do political attitudes come from?
How stable are political attitudes?
3. Obedience and Authoritarianism
The Milgram experiments
Theories of authoritarianism and their implications for democratic citizenship
4. Atrocities
From Norman atrocities in Yorkshire through Rwanda to Syria in 2014. What makes ordinary people participate in atrocities?
5. Terrorism
Is there a ‘terrorist personality’?
6. Racism
How can political psychologists measure racism?
What causes racism?
Stereotype threat and the effects of racism on its targets
7. Tolerance
Theories of political tolerance and the implications of intolerance
8. Affect and Emotion
Traditional views of the detrimental effects of affect on decision-making
Contemporary views of ‘affective intelligence’ and the role of emotion in rational decision-making
9. Media
How do individuals process information from media?
What are the effects of media? Looking at agenda setting, priming, and framing
10. Participation, Deliberation and Influence of Peers
Deliberative polls, explanation of their effects, and what they imply
Why people vote and the influence of social pressure
11. Neuroscience and Genetics
The neuroscientific turn in political psychology. The promise and limitation of fMRI
Contemporary research into genetic influences on political attitudes and behaviours and its implications for political psychology
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 128 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 22 | 11 x 2hr seminars |
| Guided Independent study | 128 | Private study reading and preparing for seminars (around 6 hours of reading and note-taking per seminar); researching and writing essay (around 45 hours researching, planning and writing each essay). Around 17 hours researching, planning, and describing the experiment. |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Narrated/recorded PowerPoint presentations | 30 minutes | 4, 5, 7-10 | Oral feedback and discussion in class from convenor and other members of the class |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 50 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 50 | 2,500 words | 1-8,10 | Written feedback |
| Take-home Exam | 50 | 1 hour 30 minutes | 2,4,6,7,10 | Written feedback |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay (2500 words) | 1-8,10 | August/September reassessment period |
| Take-home Exam | Exam (1 hours 30 minutes | 2,4,6,7,10 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Houghton, David Patrick. 2014 (2nd edition). Political Psychology: Situations, Individuals and Cases. New York: Routledge.
Nesbitt-Larking Paul, Kinnvall Catarina, Capelos Tereza, Dekker Henk (2014). The Palgrave Handbook of Global Political Psychology. Basigstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Huddy Leonie, David O. Sears, Levy Jack S. (2013). The Oxford Handbook of Political Psychology. Oxford/NY: Oxford University Press.
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 30/01/2014 |
| Last revision date | 20/08/20 |
