Political Psychology

Mail-in ballots are usually discussed as a way to boost turnout. New research suggests they may also help voters make better choices, with mail voters more likely to pick the candidate aligned with their stated preferences.

After the 2020 election, online talk of voter fraud zeroed in on cities with large Black populations. A new study suggests these racialized claims found a particularly receptive audience among White Americans who score high in racial resentment.

People who take time to deliberate before choosing a side on a political issue tend to be judged as having better moral character by those who disagree with them, according to new research.

A preference for social hierarchy may be linked to both brain structure and motivation. Researchers found that people scoring higher in social dominance orientation had less gray matter in a region tied to empathy and emotion.

Conservatives tend to report more rigid thinking styles than liberals, but that doesn't appear to make them more likely to follow their party's lead. Across dozens of issues, both groups shifted toward their party's stance about equally.

People who view the world as devoid of meaning are more likely to support political violence. A new study suggests that simple exercises to find everyday meaning could help reduce these violent extremist intentions.

Taking psychedelics on the Fourth of July is linked to decreased support for partisan violence, while using them during political conventions shows the opposite effect. A new study suggests the broader cultural mood heavily influences a psychedelic experience.

When politics comes up in small group chats, people often adjust their stated opinions to match the dominant viewpoint. New research using AI-simulated conversations reveals that social pressure can easily sway how we express our political beliefs.

A recent study reveals that parents of transgender youth experienced worsening mental health and heightened anxiety following the 2025 presidential inauguration. The research highlights the immediate emotional toll that shifting political climates take on families.

A new analysis of the 2024 U.S. presidential election reveals how TikTok’s design encourages candidates to use short, emotional, and performance-based videos. The study highlights how algorithmic platforms favor rapid entertainment and visual spectacle over detailed policy discussions.

While celebrities often champion liberal causes, their biggest fans might lean another way. New research indicates that intense celebrity admiration is consistently linked to traditionalism and a desire to submit to dominant authorities.

During the 2024 U.S. presidential election, politicians and anonymous users openly used disinformation as a campaign strategy. A new study reveals who spread these hoaxes, how they shared them, and who was targeted by the fabricated claims.

What actually lands a PhD student a tenure-track professorship? A new study suggests a candidate's publication record, research field, and demographic identity are much stronger predictors of hiring success than the prestige of their university.

We often overestimate how divided our political opponents are from us. New research shows that highlighting shared trajectories of opinion change can soften partisan animosity, provided we don't dwell on today’s existing political gaps.