Head of Political Psychology Minor Program

Professor Nelson’s research focuses on political psychology and American politics. He is currently working on a project examining the use of social values in persuasive political communication. He is also interested in intergroup relations and their impact on politics.

Some representative publications:
Nelson, Thomas E., Gregory Gwiasda, and Joseph Lyons. 2011. “Values and Vilification.” Political Psychology 32(5): 813-835.
Nelson, Thomas E., Kira Sanbonmatsu, and Harwood K. McClerking. 2007. “Playing a Different Race Card: Elite Influence on Perceptions of Racism.” Journal of Politics 69(2).
Braman, Eileen, and Thomas E. Nelson. 2007. “Mechanisms of Motivated Reasoning?” American Journal of Political Science 51(4): 940-956.
Nelson, Thomas E., Rosalee A. Clawson, & Zoe M. Oxley   1997.  “Media Framing Of A Civil Liberties Controversy And Its Effect On Tolerance.” American Political Science Review 91(3): 567-84.

Nelson’s teaching interests include public opinion, political psychology, experimental research methods, and survey design. He is also currently Associate Editor for the journal Social Influence. In 2002, Nelson won the Erik Erikson award for Erik Erikson award for early career achievement from the International Society for Political Psychology.