University of Pittsburgh: Political Science

PS 1233 (#39142) POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY

Fall, 2002
T, Th: 1-2:15
4J32 Posvar Hall

Instructor: Jon Hurwitz

412-648-7273 • hurwitz@pitt.edu
David Lawrence 203
Office Hours: T,Th: 11-12 and by appt.

"Hitler might commit suicide. This is the most plausible outcome. . . .It is probably true that he has an inordinate fear of death, but being a psychopath he could undoubtedly screw himself up into the superman character and perform the deed. In all probability, however, it would not be a simple suicide. He has much too much of the dramatic for that, and since immortality is one of his dominant motives we can imagine that he would stage the most dramatic and effective death scene he could possibly think of. . . .He might even engage some other fanatic to do the final killing at his orders."

From Walter C. Langer, in a top-secret psychoanalysis of Adolph Hitler written for the Office of Strategic Services, 1943

"The danger is that crisis will be transformed into tragedy--that Nixon will go from a dramatic experiment to a normal commitment, a commitment to follow his private star, to fly off in the face of overwhelming odds. That type of reaction is to be expected when and if Nixon is confronted with a severe threat to his power and sense of virtue."

James David Barber, on Richard Nixon, 1971

INTRODUCTION

The subject matter of this course is the intersection of two disciplines: psychology and political science. We will examine various psychological models of political behavior--which amounts to an exploration of different explanations of the same observed behavior. We will explore rational-economic, biological, psychoanalytic, behavioral, social learning theory, social psychological, and cognitive models of political behavior.

We will apply these various psychological perspectives to a variety of important political "behaviors" including leadership, obedience to authority, violence and aggression, political attitude formation and change, and foreign policy decision making. As a truth-in-packaging gesture, you should be forewarned: this course will not provide you with "correct" or "clear-cut" psychological explanations of political behavior. Rather, we will discuss speculative theories which may, or may not, account for such behaviors. So you would be advised to take another course if you demand the correct answers.

READINGS

Five books have been assigned for this course. All are available at the University Book Center.

Alexander George and Juliette George. Woodrow Wilson and Colonel House. This is one of the most respected psychobiographies--a controversial genre which supplements traditional biographical narrative with psychological (usually psychoanalytic) explanations of adult behavior. In this case, the Georges carefully link President Wilson's political leadership traits to his childhood, focusing on factors which gave the adult Wilson his political strengths and (more importantly) weaknesses.

Irving Janis, Groupthink, 2d. Ed. Janis examines several findings from the social psychology of small groups and applies them to crisis decision-making within the executive branch. The emphasis is on foreign policy decisions and the political context is given considerable play in Janis' analysis.

Stanley Milgram. Obedience to Authority. A psychologist, Milgram meticulously describes his classic experiments on the subject of obedience. His subjects are involved in a series of studies designed to determine the degree to which individuals will obey an authority figure, despite the fact that the actions which the subjects are expected to perform are cruel and painful to other persons. Milgram carefully describes the conditions under which obedience is maximized.

Richard Nisbett and Dov Cohen. Culture of Honor: The Psychology of Violence in the South. In this imaginative series of experiments, the authors examine the conditions under which individuals behave violently. Their basic thesis is that, due to the settlement patterns of immigrants coming to the United States, the south has been populated by those with an innate tendency toward violence--particularly violence designed to protect one's territory.

Anthony Pratkanis and Elliot Aronson. Age of Propaganda: The Everyday Use and Abuse of Persuasion. The authors, both psychologists, provide an interesting and revealing account of propaganda and influence in politics, consumer affairs, and the media. Both the mechanisms and consequences of propaganda are analyzed, with attention given to how citizens can protect themselves from manipulation.

In addition, assigned readings have been placed on reserve at Hillman Library. You should read all of the assignments prior to the class for which they are assigned.

ASSIGNMENTS

Class participation is both encouraged and expected, so you should read the materials carefully. In addition, there will be two written exams. The Midsemester Exam is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 22, and the Final Exam is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 9 (2:00-3:50). Each exam is worth 50 percent of the course grade (though I will "count" the Final Exam more heavily if you are on the border between two grades or if there is a strong improvement from the Midsemester to the Final Exam). No make-up exams will be given. If you miss an exam without prior permission, I will simply count the other exam grade twice, minus a 25 percent penalty. The formats of the exams will be announced well ahead of time. Students who earn an "A" or "B" on the first exam may substitute a term paper for the final exam (details to be announced later).

TENTATIVE TOPICS AND ASSIGNMENTS

I. Introductory Remarks (Sept. 3)

II. Rational-Actor Models of Political Behavior (Sept. 10)
Read: Downs, An Economic Model of Democracy, pp. 3-14; 36-47 (RESERVE)

III. Political Leadership
A. Biological Models (Sept. 12)
Read: Madsen, A Biochemical Property Relating to Power Seeking in Humans. American Political Science Review, 1985 (pp. 448-57) (RESERVE)

B. Psychoanalytic Models (Sept. 17)
Read: 1. Liebert and Spiegler, Personality, Ch. 3, 4 (pp. 60-62 only), 5, and 7(RESERVE) 2. George and George, Woodrow Wilson and Colonel House, (entire)

IV. Political Followership and Obedience to Authority
A. Biological Models (Oct. 1)
Read: Willhoite, Primates and Political Authority: A Biobehavioral Perspective. American Political Science Review, 1976 (pp. 1110-26) (RESERVE)

B. Psychoanalytic Models (Oct. 13)
Read: Sanford, "The Authoritarian Personality in Contemporary Perspective," in J. Knutson (Ed.) Handbook of Political Psychology (RESERVE)

C. Behavioral Models (Oct. 10)

D. Social Psychological Models (Oct. 15)
Read: Milgram, Obedience to Authority (entire)

MIDSEMESTER EXAM: Oct. 22

V. Violence and Aggression: Competing Models (Oct. 24)
Read: Nisbett and Cohen, Culture of Honor (entire)

VI. Political Attitudes and Persuasion (Nov. 5)

Read: Pratkanis and Aronson, Age of Propaganda (entire), and Newsweek and Washington Monthly excerpts (handout)

VIII. Decision Making in Groups (Nov. 26)
Read: Janis, Groupthink (entire)

FINAL EXAM

Monday, Dec. 9 (2:00-3:50)

Please note: Class will not be held on the following dates: August 29, October 8, November 7.

If you have a disability for which you are, or may, be requesting an accommodation, you are encouraged to contact both your instructor and the Office of Disability Resources and Services, 216 William Pitt Union ([412]648-7890; [412]383-7355 [TTY]) as early as possible in the term. The DRS will verify your disability and determine reasonable accommodations for this course.

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