The OSU Political Psychology graduate departmental specialization is one of the leading programs in the world. Our program is unique in giving coverage both to citizen political thought and behavior and to elite behavior and international politics.
Political psychology explores the role of psychological processes in the unfolding of political behavior, and the impact of political events on psychological processes. The political psychology specialization program provides students with an understanding of how psychological theoretical frameworks can inform political scientists’ understanding of political events, and with expertise in conducting research to further understanding of the nexus between psychological and political phenomena
Faculty
Requirements
The requirements for a departmental specialization in political psychology are the two core courses and one seminar, for a total of 9 credit hours. Students are also encouraged to take one additional course with either substantive or methodological relevance to their dissertation research in the third year.
The following courses are required for a political psychology specialization:
- PS 7700 (Foundations of Political Psychology)
- PS 7785 (Experimental research)
- Political Psychology Seminars (must take one from below):
- PS 7720 (Psychological approaches to international relations)
- PS 7320 (Foreign policy design)
- PS 7325 (Comparative foreign policy)
- PS 7725 (Research on cognition in international politics)
- PS 7160 (Public opinion)
- Approved course from a cognate discipline, such as Psychology, Communication, or Sociology.
Research Workshop
The Political Psychology Workshop explores the role of psychological processes in the unfolding of political behavior, and the impact of political events on psychological processes.
Recent Dissertations
"The Psychological Structure of Partisanship: Affect, Cognition, and Social Identity"
"Monologues, Dialogues or Mediated Conversations? Citizens, Elites, the Media and Public Policymaking"
"Explaining the Vote: Claiming Credit and Managing Blame in the United States Senate"
"Associative Memory Structure and the Evaluation of Political Leaders"
"Cognitive Underpinnings of Political Intolerance"