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POL411Social Sciences3 Unitsintermediate

Political Psychology

This course introduces students to the field of political psychology. It explores methodological issues, the universality of political behavior, and the influence of perceptions, personality, and group dynamics on policy-making. The course challenges assumptions about self-interest, explains psychological factors affecting behavior, and emphasizes the interconnectedness of behavior patterns and the importance of political psychology in improving the human condition.

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208h
Study Time
13
Weeks
16h
Per Week
none
Math Level
Course Keywords
Political PsychologyPolitical BehaviorPersonalityPublic OpinionElections

Course Overview

Everything you need to know about this course

Course Difficulty

Intermediate Level
Builds on foundational knowledge
65%
intermediate
📚
Math Level
No Math
📖
Learning Type
Theoretical Focus

Course Topics

Key areas covered in this course

1

Political Psychology

2

Political Behavior

3

Personality Theories

4

Public Opinion

5

Elections

6

Foreign Policy

Total Topics6 topics

Ready to Start

No specific requirements needed

This course is designed to be accessible to all students. You can start immediately without any prior knowledge or specific preparation.

Assessment Methods

How your progress will be evaluated (3 methods)

Assignments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

Tutor-Marked Assignments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

Final Examination

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

Career Opportunities

Explore the career paths this course opens up for you

Political Analyst

Apply your skills in this growing field

Policy Advisor

Apply your skills in this growing field

Campaign Manager

Apply your skills in this growing field

Public Opinion Researcher

Apply your skills in this growing field

Diplomat

Apply your skills in this growing field

Industry Applications

Real-world sectors where you can apply your knowledge

GovernmentPoliticsInternational RelationsPublic PolicyMedia

Study Schedule Beta

A structured 13-week journey through the course content

Week
1

Module 1: Meaning and Nature of Political Psychology

2h

Unit 1: What is the Idea of Political Psychology?

2 study hours
  • •Read the introduction to Political Psychology.
  • •Understand David Easton's perspective on politics.
  • •Explore the definition of Political Psychology and its focus on human thought processes, feelings, and motivations.
Week
2

Module 1: Meaning and Nature of Political Psychology

2h

Unit 2: Methods Adopted in the study of Political Psychology

2 study hours
  • •Examine the scientific method approach in political psychology.
  • •Identify and understand variables that influence behavior.
  • •Explore the features of experimenting, including manipulation of independent variables and control over extraneous variables.
Week
3

Module 1: Meaning and Nature of Political Psychology

2h

Unit 3: Historical Perspectives of Political Psychology

2 study hours
  • •Explore the origin of political psychology and its development as an academic discipline.
  • •Examine Grundy's argument on national behavior and the impact of faulty political psychology.
  • •Understand the different eras of development in political psychology, focusing on research interests and landmark developments.
Week
4

Module 1: Meaning and Nature of Political Psychology

2h

Unit 4: Components of the Political Being

2 study hours
  • •Understand the core components of the Political Being: personality, values, attitudes, emotions, and cognitive processes.
  • •Examine the interplay between these components and their influence on political thinking and feeling.
  • •Explore the role of values and identity in shaping political predispositions.
Week
5

Module 1: Meaning and Nature of Political Psychology

2h

Unit 5: The Political Being in a Social and Political Environment

2 study hours
  • •Explore the interaction between the individual and the political environment.
  • •Understand social identity and its impact on political behavior.
  • •Examine the concepts of in-groups and out-groups and their relevance to political psychology.
Week
6

Module 2: Personality and Its Approaches

2h

Unit 1: Personality: What does it constitute?

2 study hours
  • •Define personality from psychological, political, and political psychology perspectives.
  • •Discuss the relevance of personality in politics and identify politically relevant personality characteristics.
  • •Understand the idiographic and nomothetic views of personality.
Week
7

Module 2: Personality and Its Approaches

2h

Unit 2: Psycho-Analytic/Dynamic Theory

2 study hours
  • •Review the psycho-analytic or psychodynamic theory.
  • •Examine the concepts of the conscious and unconscious mind and their influence on behavior.
  • •Understand the three components of personality: id, ego, and superego.
Week
8

Module 2: Personality and Its Approaches

2h

Unit 3: Psycho-biographies/Psycho-Biographical Method

2 study hours
  • •Explore the psycho-biographical method for analyzing political figures.
  • •Examine the childhood socialization experiences of political leaders.
  • •Study classic examples of psycho-biographies, such as Woodrow Wilson and Nelson Mandela.
Week
9

Module 2: Personality and Its Approaches

2h

Unit 4: Analysing Psycho-Pathologies of Political Leaders

2 study hours
  • •Analyze psycho-pathologies of political leaders.
  • •Examine personality disorders, such as neuroticism, narcissism, and paranoia.
  • •Understand the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for selected personality disorders.
Week
10

Module 2: Personality and Its Approaches

2h

Unit 5: Personality Trait Theories

2 study hours
  • •Explore personality trait theories and their application in political psychology.
  • •Understand the Big Five personality dimensions: neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness.
  • •Examine personality assessment measures.
Week
11

Module 3: Manifestations of Psychological Theories in Leadership, Power and Politics

4h

Unit 1: Explaining Power

2 study hours
  • •Define the concept of power in political science.
  • •Explore different forms of power: political, economic, military, and physical.
  • •Understand the nexus between power and politics.

Unit 2: Political Culture

2 study hours
  • •Define political culture and its influence on political behavior.
  • •Identify different types of political culture: parochial, subject, and participant.
  • •Assess political culture in Nigeria.
Week
12

Module 3: Manifestations of Psychological Theories in Leadership, Power and Politics

4h

Unit 3: Public Opinion

2 study hours
  • •Define public opinion and its role in a democratic society.
  • •Examine the elements of public opinion: issues, communication, perceptions of reality, and demographic characteristics.
  • •Explore different means of measuring public opinion: sample surveys, elections, interest groups, media, and protests.

Unit 4: Political Information Processing and Decision-Making

2 study hours
  • •Explore the processing of political information and its impact on decision-making.
  • •Understand the factors that influence judgment and decision-making: religion, economic factors, ethnicity, and environment.
  • •Examine the role of domestic and foreign environments in decision-making.
Week
13

Module 4: Elections and Electoral Behaviour

4h

Unit 5: Perceptions and Foreign Policy

2 study hours
  • •Define foreign policy and its objectives.
  • •Examine the factors that influence foreign policy decision-making: type of government, perceptions of leaders, and national interest.
  • •Understand the role of domestic and external determinants in shaping foreign policy.

Unit 1: Understanding Elections

2 study hours
  • •Define elections and their nexus with democracy.
  • •Examine the factors that influence electoral behavior: religion, ethnicity, education, and personality.
  • •Understand the role of electoral agencies in conducting free and fair elections.

This study schedule is in beta and may not be accurate. Please use it as a guide and consult the course outline for the most accurate information.

Course PDF Material

Read the complete course material as provided by NOUN.

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Study Tips & Exam Preparation

Expert tips to help you succeed in this course

1

Create concept maps linking Modules 1-2 personality theories to real-world political leaders.

2

Practice applying the DSM-IV criteria (Unit 4 Module 2) to analyze leader psycho-pathologies.

3

Review the different eras of political psychology development (Unit 3 Module 1) and their key research foci.

4

Compare and contrast the theoretical frameworks for understanding public opinion (Unit 3 Module 3).

5

Analyze case studies of elections (Module 4) to identify factors influencing electoral behavior.

6

Focus on understanding the key concepts and theories from each unit, rather than memorizing details.

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