2008 Summer Institute in Political Psychology

Stanford University, Stanford CA

Investigators

Abstract

Political psychology is a thriving field of inquiry with roots in political science and connections to a range of other social sciences. Political psychologists attempt to understand the psychological underpinnings, roots, and consequences of political behavior. Some of this work attempts to understand political phenomena by applying and enhancing theories developed through research done in psychological laboratories. Findings regarding mediation and moderation of real-world effects have often led to extensions and revisions of political and psychological theories. Other political psychology involves the development of completely new theory to provide psychological accounts of political phenomena, thus contributing to basic understanding of how the mind works in the important context of politics. In light of the vitality of the field and growing graduate student interest, the idea of establishing a summer training institute in political psychology was developed. The Summer Institute in Political Psychology (SIPP) is a 3-week program designed to advance the research capabilities of graduate students from around the world studying political science, psychology, and other social sciences. The Summer Institute has aimed to enrich the graduate training of participants by offering a broad and intensified complement to the classroom training that is usually available at graduate institutions. By bringing together a large set of faculty offering lectures on a diverse set of topics, SIPP exposed graduate students to (1) a broad range of research literature in political psychology, (b) the research styles and approaches of an array of scholars working in political psychology, and (c) training in the varied set of research methods employed by political psychologists, as well as (d) creating inter-disciplinary networks among the participants to support their on-going research efforts and cement their long-term commitments to social science scholarship. One of the best ways to enhance research productivity in political psychology over the long term is to recruit and train talented, energetic, and motivated cohorts of scholars to join the field. SIPP does just this and thus enhances the vitality of political psychology's contributions to social science literatures.