Political
Psychology
POLS 407 Dr.
Rebecca J. Hannagan
Spring 2007 406
Zulauf Hall
T/Th 12:30 – 1:45 pm rhannaga@niu.edu
Dusable 252 Hours:
T/Th 2 - 3:30 pm,
& by appointment
Course Objective:
Although the course description reads “Attitude and Value Formation,” this course is really about “Political Pscyhology.” What is political psychology? Political psychology as a field is defined largely by its preoccupation with the role of human thought, emotion, and behavior in politics. Rather than reviewing the entire field of political psychology and its various approaches (which would be tenuous if not impossible), this course will focus on the psychology of individual citizens and the psychology of groups.
We will begin with the individual in political society. What are people’s connections to the societies that form the basis of their views about politics? How do people come to understand their places in those societies, and how do they view and interact with others? In the second part of the course we will look at psychological aspects of groups – particularly group identity and its affect on political behavior. One of the things that is so fascinating about political psychology is that it speaks to so many aspects of political phenomena – from American politics, to comparative politics, to international relations. Political psychology is important to understanding how ethnic identities contribute to state conflict, how voters react to the particular traits of leaders or campaign rhetoric, and how the gender composition of a group may affect how decisions are made. I encourage you to “think outside the box” in this class and try to widely apply the concepts we cover to other areas of political science.
The readings for this course are, at times, atypical of a course in political science. Some of the readings are quite dense and may contain complex methodologies. Do not let this scare you away. I do not expect you to understand everything you will be reading immediately. I do, however, expect you to spend some time with the readings and do your best to get at what each reading is about, generally, and why it matters to our consideration of political psychology. Sometimes this will not be obvious. You will have to do a considerable amount of analytical thinking and writing in this course. As we progress through the material it is my hope that you will become more comfortable with the readings and your ability to react to them. Reading difficult material and then thinking analytically about the possible implications is a skill – and a skill that you can learn.
Course
Materials:
You are expected to have your reading done each day before you come to class. This is a seminar style course, based more on discussion than lecture. Part of your grade is contingent upon your participation in class discussion so it is important that you come to class prepared to discuss the material.
Calculation of Grades:
Your grade in this course will consist of your performance on two exams (a midterm and a final exam), one longer paper, four reaction papers, and class participation. The following is a breakdown of how the grades will be weighted:
Midterm Exam 15% Reaction Papers 25% Participation 20%
Final Exam 15% Paper 25%
I will adhere to the following grading scale:
|
100-97%
= A+ |
89-87%
= B+ |
79-77%
= C+ |
69-67%
= D+ |
59%
< = F |
|
96-93%
= A |
86-83%
= B |
76-73%
= C |
66-63%
= D |
|
|
92-90%
= A- |
82-80%
= B- |
72-70%
= C- |
62-60%
= D- |
|
General Information:
I do not accept late work, nor do I offer make-up exams (NO EXCEPTIONS! Don’t ask). If your homework or paper is late, you will receive a 0 on that assignment. If you do not show up for an exam, you will receive a 0 on that exam. If you have a situation that requires exception, you must notify me well in advance and be prepared to produce documentation.
Blackboard is your friend. Check it often for announcements and
important course documents. I reserve
the right to modify the schedule in the interest of time or due to the
difficulty of the material. If I decide
to modify the schedule I will notify the class immediately upon my decision and
post an announcement on Blackboard. If
changes are made and you are not aware of them because you do not regularly
attend class or choose to sleep during class there will be no exceptions made
to accommodate you. It is in your
best interest to attend every class and pay attention to the material being
covered.
No cell phone use during class (including text messaging). Please turn your cell phones off (and not just on vibrate). Please do not read the newspaper, talk to your friends or sleep during class. Do not come to class late or leave early. These are inappropriate behaviors for a university class and are disruptive to your peers. Be respectful of those around you.
This syllabus is a contract between me (the professor) and you (the student). The syllabus will be available on Blackboard throughout the semester for your reference. If you have any questions about the policies set forth in the syllabus, I highly recommend that you talk to me during the first week of classes. It is at that time that any significant changes can be made. After that, if you choose to remain in the class I assume that you agree to the policies and procedures I have set forth in the syllabus.
Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, NIU is
committed to making reasonable accommodations for persons with documented
disabilities. Those students with disabilities
that may have some impact on their coursework and for which they may require
accommodations should notify the Center for Access-Ability Resources (CARR) on
the fourth floor of the
For important information on the Department of Political Science, please visit: http://polisci.niu.edu/
Academic Dishonesty:
The maintenance of academic honesty and integrity is of vital concern to the Department of Political Science and the University community. Any student found guilty of academic dishonesty shall be subject to both academic and disciplinary sanctions. If I find that you have plagiarized your academic work, you will receive an F on the assignment – no exceptions. If you are caught cheating, falsifying, or otherwise misrepresenting your work twice you will fail the class. In addition, if I suspect academic dishonesty your name will be turned over to the Chair of the Political Science Department who will make a determination as to further disciplinary action which may include academic probation or expulsion.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the following: cheating, fabrication and falsification, plagiarism, and misrepresentation to avoid academic work. If you are unsure whether something is considered academic dishonesty, ask me. It is much better to be overzealous at the outset and ask many questions to avoid being accused of cheating, plagiarism, and so forth. I would like to reiterate that I take this very seriously and therefore, so should you.
Tentative Schedule:
January 16: Introduction and course overview
I. How the Mind Works
January 18: Theory of Mind, Epistemology and the Standard Social Science Model
January 23: The Mind
January 25: The Mind
II. The Role of Emotion
January 30: Emotion
February 1: Emotion
February 6: Emotion
February 8: Emotion
III. Political Cognition
February 13: Political Cognition
February 15: Political Cognition
February 20: Political Cognition
February 22: Political Cognition
February 27: Discussion of Papers – Topic Selection and Writing
March 1: Discussion of Papers – Library Research
March 6: Political Cognition
March 8: No Class (early Spring Break)
March 13: No Class (Spring Break)
March 15: No Class (Spring Break)
IV. Persuasion and Attitude Change
March 20: Persuasion and Attitude Change
March 22: Persuasion and Attitude Change
March 27: Persuasion and Attitude Change
March 29: Review for Exam
April 3: Midterm Exam (although it really isn’t midterm)
V. Group Identity and Dynamics
April 5: Group Identity
April 10: Group Identity
April 12: No Class (
April 17: Group Identity
April 19: Group Dynamics
April 24: Group Dynamics
April 26: No Class – Work on Papers
May 1: No Class – Work on Papers
May 3: Last Day of Class – Review for Final and Evaluations
Final Exam: TBA