Political Psychology

A study in Visual Communication suggests Donald Trump's shrug is a strategic tool to build rapport. Rather than expressing ignorance, the gesture often signals that a statement is an obvious truth he and his audience already share.

People often share political views with their romantic partners, but is this because they choose like-minded mates or because they influence each other over time? A new decade-long study of couples offers some answers to this complex question of political...

As more people in the United States and elsewhere leave their religious faith, a key question emerges: Do their political views change as well? A new multi-part study provides insight into the political transformations that can accompany religious de-identification.

People who feel emotionally moved by fictional films often report thinking more about political issues and showing more interest in taking action. A new study highlights the potential connection between meaningful entertainment and various forms of political engagement.

A new study questions the long-held assumption that political ideology predicts mental flexibility. Researchers with opposing views collaborated to investigate whether conservatives, liberals, or extremists are truly more rigid in their thinking.

A common mental shortcut may explain why many people believe in election fraud. New research shows the order of the vote count can make a legitimate late comeback seem suspicious, impacting perceptions of the election's legitimacy.

New research explores how emotional connections to a nation’s past or future are associated with political preferences and social attitudes, suggesting that national nostalgia relates to more prejudice, while national prostalgia tends to align with more inclusive views.

Immigration opinions in the United States often split along party lines. But a new study raises questions about whether that divide is as fixed as it seems. Researchers looked at how one idea could tip support in either direction.

New research finds liberals’ intentions to buy a Tesla are declining, an effect tied to perceptions of Elon Musk. Meanwhile, conservatives’ already low interest in the brand has not increased, according to the study.

TikTok users are more likely to interact with political videos that target out-groups, express negative emotion, or call for action. Engagement patterns differ by political leaning, but conflict-driven and emotionally charged content consistently performs better across the ideological spectrum.

Even when they recognize that stability is the smarter choice, people still prefer leaders who promise change. A series of experiments provides evidence of a widespread progress bias that may shape political and organizational decision making.

A new study in PLOS ONE provides evidence that both liberals and conservatives tend to support censorship of children’s books when the content contradicts their values, even though they broadly claim to oppose the suppression of ideas.

New research shows that people with strong political beliefs react more emotionally to political content. Brain activity patterns were similar among ideological extremists, whether liberal or conservative, suggesting that emotion plays a central role in how extreme views take hold.

A new study finds that one's moral philosophy, more than their political ideology, predicts their support for banning practices they find immoral. This difference helps explain a deep-seated source of political disagreement.

Populist appeals often sound simple, but they might carry more weight than expected. A recent study shows that even vague statements about “the people” or “elites” can lead voters to assume a candidate supports specific political ideologies or policies.