Political Psychology

Evidence from the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology suggests that connecting identity to political stances promotes extremity. This suggests that voters choose radical candidates because extreme views tend to offer a more certain sense of self.

Research suggests the gap between actual and perceived political knowledge is smaller than thought. Most people know they don't know much.

Researchers found that political ideology shapes explicit attitudes but fails to alter the deep-seated, negative visual stereotypes people hold about those with fewer resources.

Scientists have discovered that progressives and traditional liberals hold strikingly different mental representations of J.K. Rowling.

U.S. legislators frequently scrub personal details from social media while preserving attacks on opponents. A new study suggests that deleting tweets is a strategic move to curate a professional, critical, and loyal political image.

New research finds that parents who want teachers to lead prayer are more likely to support arming school staff. The study suggests a cultural link between religious expression and gun-based security measures.

A new study links conservatism to a greater acceptance of slippery slope reasoning. The evidence suggests this association relies on intuitive thinking and predicts support for harsher criminal sentencing.

New experiments demonstrate that AI chatbots are better at changing minds than static media. Researchers found these systems rely on "information density" to persuade voters, often becoming less truthful in the process.

Do good looks hurt female politicians? Researchers analyzing German elections found no evidence of a “beauty is beastly effect.” In fact, physical attractiveness correlated with higher vote shares for both men and women.

A comprehensive analysis of over 4,000 individuals reveals that romantic partners with differing political views experience a modest drop in relationship quality. The findings suggest polarization now permeates private life.

A new study in Political Psychology challenges the idea that political centrists are uniformly moderate. The findings suggest the scale’s midpoint hides a diverse group of individuals, including those with strong anti-establishment and populist beliefs.

A new study in Cognition reveals that when evaluating political arguments, your prior beliefs matter far more than the actual logic. Researchers found that confirmation bias outweighs evidence quality by a significant margin.

Believing lies isn't always about ignorance; sometimes it's about dominance. New studies spanning eight countries reveal that for many, rejecting shared reality is a way to signal symbolic strength and psychological independence.

A new longitudinal study suggests a two-way relationship between environmental activism and personality. Findings indicate that while specific traits predict involvement, activism itself may increase narcissism and psychopathy over time.

A study published in PNAS Nexus finds that seeing extreme wealth increases support for redistribution. While ignorance of inequality keeps low-income individuals poorer, it paradoxically leaves them more satisfied with their lives.