The Political Psychology of Elites
| Module title | The Political Psychology of Elites |
|---|---|
| Module code | POC2041 |
| Academic year | 2023/4 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Professor Daniel Stevens (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 40 |
|---|
Module description
When we study the decisions of political leaders, we often think about them in terms of the power relations between states. Or we look at leaders as rational actors determined to maximize benefits and minimize costs. In other words, we ignore what is often referred to as the “black box”, or the psychological processes and dynamics that lie behind decisions. Political psychology focuses explicitly on the “black box.” In this module, you will examine psychological explanations of elite policy decision-making, focusing mostly on foreign policy cases such as the Vietnam War and the war in Iraq. 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 students with the tools to describe and evaluate political psychological theories of decision-making at the elite level and thus with the skills to develop your own ideas about what drives elite attitudes and behaviours. The module focuses on elite decision-making, concentrating mostly on foreign policy and why otherwise intelligent and savvy individuals and groups often make very poor decisions. Students will learn about different theoretical perspectives and how to apply them to different historical examples in the study of elite decision-making. Students will have the opportunity to discuss and evaluate contending theoretical perspectives and in each case to bring theory and practice together to form their own perspectives. They 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 elite attitudes 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 elites do 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 knowledge of the major theories of elite decision-making in the field of political psychology in oral and written work;
- 2. discuss different theories and research in oral and written work;
- 3. apply major psychological theories to elite decision-making in written essays.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. demonstrate comprehension and the ability to use key concepts pertaining to elite decision-making in oral and written work;
- 5. synthesize and critique major theories and arguments in the field in your written work;
- 6. demonstrate that you understand the implications of new evidence for a given theory in your oral and written work;
- 7. demonstrate that you can identify different methods of research in the field and their possible 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 and in groups, including presentations for class discussion, and in spontaneous discussion and defence of arguments in class;
- 9. demonstrate oral and written analytical and organizational skills in essays, group presentations and group discussion with some guidance; and
- 10. write essays to a deadline.
Syllabus plan
1. An Introduction to Political Psychology & Elite Decision-Making
Key concepts in political psychology; research designs and elite decision-making
2. Personality and Elite Decision-Making
i. James David Barber’s theory of presidential personality
ii. Other prominent theories of elite personality, e.g., trait analysis
3. Group processes and Elite Decision-Making
i. Groupthink
ii. Critiques and extensions of Groupthink
4. Analogical Reasoning in Foreign Policy Decision-Making
i. Khong’s theory of analogical reasoning in the Vietnam War
ii. Critiques and extensions of analogical reasoning in decision-making
5. Prospect Theory and Elite Decision-Making
i. The foundations of prospect theory
ii. Applications of prospect theory to foreign policy decisions
6. Hybrid Theories of Elite Decision-Making
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 | The module will be taught through 11 weekly 1 hour lectures and 11 weekly seminars (starting week 1) in which we discuss the topic and materials |
| Guided Independent study | 128 | Private study reading and preparing for lectures and seminars (around 6 hours of reading and note-taking per week); researching and writing essay (around 47 hours researching, planning and writing each essay). Around 15 hours researching, planning, and writing the 1000 word analysis of a topic. |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group presentations (based on readings or topics to prepare for class) | 10 mins (about 4 over the term) | 4, 5, 7-10 | Verbal feedback from module convenor and other members of the class. |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 65 | 3,000 words | 1-10 | Written feedback |
| 1000 word analysis of a topic | 35 | 1,000 words | 1-10 | Written feedback |
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 (3,000 words) | 1-10 | August/September reassessment period |
| 1000 word analysis of a topic | 1,000 words | 1-10 | August/September reassessment period |
Re-assessment notes
Re-assessment of the essay will require the completion of a new essay on a different topic. If re-assessment is due to the 1000-word analysis of a topic, a new topic will be given.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Basic reading:
- Houghton, David Patrick. 2014 (2nd edition). Political Psychology: Situations, Individuals and Cases. New York: Routledge.
- James David Barber. 1992 (4th edition). The Presidential Character: Predicting Performance in the White House. London: Prentice Hall.
- Irving L. Janis. 1982 (2nd edition). Groupthink. Houghton Mifflin.
- Yuen Foong Khong. 1992. Analogies at War: Korea, Munich, Dien Bien Phu, and the Vietnam Decisions of 1965. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
ELE – http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/
| 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 | 01/10/2011 |
| Last revision date | 27/02/2023 |
