Course Information
SemesterCourse Unit CodeCourse Unit TitleT+P+LCreditNumber of ECTS CreditsLast Updated Date
2PSYC106Introduction to Political Psychology3+0+03505.12.2024
Course Details
Language of Instruction English
Level of Course Unit Bachelor's Degree
Department / Program Political Science and International Relations
Type of Program Formal Education
Type of Course Unit Compulsory
Course Delivery Method Face To Face
Objectives of the Course This course aims to help students understand the analytical approaches to the study of politics and their many practical and immediate uses, whether in clarifying the logic behind divergent perspectives on international security questions or in identifying the shared ontological assumptions of individualist conservatism and classical liberalism. The major organizational features of this course reflect the logic of trying to balance (a) acknowledgment of the breadth of the discipline of political science with (b) awareness of the benefits of keeping the length of the text manageable.
Course Content Throughout the course, the historical development of political science as a science is discussed. Key concepts in political science analysis are presented as those concepts relate to elections, parties, and transnational issues. The course also explores how ethical frameworks for evaluating politics can be informed by Socratic, Platonic, Aristotelian, Machiavellian, Hobbesian, Madisonian, Millian, and Nietzschean insights. Later Chapters introduce students to ideologies such as liberal, conservative, socialist, fascist, feminist, environmentalist, and postmodern theory.
After the students learn the key concepts and ideologies until the Mid-term exam, in the 2nd half until the final exam, the course introduces students to understand the basic annals of comparative politics, with attention given to democratic-nondemocratic analytical frameworks, comparative electoral, political party, and interest group strategies and patterns, and comparative executive, legislative, and judicial institutions. In later chapters, the course closes the learning progress by introducing students to models of analysis.
Course Methods and Techniques Lecture
Discussion based lecture
Case study
Group work
Prerequisites and co-requisities None
Course Coordinator None
Name of Lecturers Asist Prof.Dr. Harun SEMERCİOĞLU
Assistants None
Work Placement(s) No

Recommended or Required Reading
Resources Required: Cottam, Martha, et al. (2004), Introduction to Political Psyhcology, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, London.
Recommended: Sears, David, et al. (2003), Oxford Handbook of Political Psychology, Oxford University Press, London.
Recommended: Monreo, K. Renwick, (2002), Political Psyhcology, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, London.
Recommended: Tost, John, Sidanius , Jim, (2004), Political Psyhcology, Pyschology Press, New York.
Recommended: Erişen, Elif, (2012), “An Introduction to Political Psychology for International Relations Scholars”, Perceptions, Autumn 2012, XVII (3), pp.9-28.
Recommended: Staerkle, Christian, (2015), “Political Psychology”, International Encyclopedia of the Social&Behavioral Sciences, Second Edition, 2015, pp.427-42-33.
Course Notes Introduction (Analyzing Politics An Introduction to Political Science, Key Terms)
Introduction (What is Traditionalism and its Focus? What is Behavioralism and its Focus?
What is Postbehavioralism and its Focus?
Political Science and Scientific Methods in Studying Politics)
Political Science and Scientific Methods in Studying Politics
(Formulating hypotheses, Operationalizing concepts, Identifying independent and dependent variables, Measurement criteria, Causation and correlation, Developing scienti?c theories, Epistemology, Methodology, Empiricism, Case Studies, Survey Researches, Experiments, Quasi-experiments, Quantitative analysis)
Key Concepts in Political Science
(Examination of basic political concepts, such as Power (types of power), State, Nation, Sovereignty, Legitimacy, Culture.
Political Theory: Examining the Ethical Foundations of Politics
(What power should states serve?
Should state power be highly curtailed (limited) or maximized? and
What role should ethics play in the exercise of state decision making?)
Political Ideologies I:
Liberalism
Conservatism
Political Ideologies I:
Socialism
MIDTERM EXAM
Political Ideologies II
Fascism
Political Ideologies III
Feminism,
Environmentalism,
Modernism and Postmodernism
Comparative Politics I
Governmental Systems: Democracy and Nondemocracy
Comparative Politics II
Interest Groups,
Political Parties, and
Elections
Comparative Politics II
Interest Groups,
Political Parties, and
Elections
Comparative Politics III
Governing Democracies:
Executives,
Legislatures,
Judiciaries
General Overview and Discussion
FINAL EXAM

Course Category
Social Sciences %50
Field %50

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods
Activities are given in detail in the section of "Assessment Methods and Criteria" and "Workload Calculation"

Assessment Methods and Criteria
In-Term Studies Quantity Percentage
Mid-terms 1 % 20
Attendance 14 % 10
Practice 1 % 10
Final examination 1 % 60
Total
17
% 100

 
ECTS Allocated Based on Student Workload
Activities Quantity Duration Total Work Load
Course Duration 14 3 42
Hours for off-the-c.r.stud 3 1 3
Assignments 15 4 60
Presentation 1 1 1
Mid-terms 1 10 10
Practice 4 6 24
Final examination 1 10 10
Total Work Load   Number of ECTS Credits 5 150

 
Course Learning Outcomes: Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
NoLearning Outcomes
1 Identify ‘what is political psychology?’ and the conceptional framework of this interdisciplinary science. (PLO1/PY1: Identification and Basic Concepts, PLO2/PY2: Research methods, PLO3/PY3: Be Updated)
2 Learn the context of political psychology in a short history of this discipline. (PLO1/PY1: Identification and basic concepts, PLO3/PY3: Be Updated, PLO5/PY5: Independent Studying),
3 Introduce the central psychological theories and the psychology of political attitudes, especially as it pertains to individuals, social groups and values. (PLO1/PY1: Identification and Basic Concepts, PLO3/PY3: Be Updated, PLO4/PY4: 2 Interdisciplinary Study, PLO5/PY5: Independent Studying).
4 Conceive the presidential leadership in domestic and international politics, as learning the factors such as personality, motives and individual differences. Make individual level process in some leaders’ case studies (PLO1/PY1: Identification and basic concepts, PLO3/PY3: Be Updated, PLO5/PY5: Independent Studying, PLO7/PY7: Social Communication, PLO8/PY8: Be Able to Construct Intercultural Relations, PLO10/PY10 Ethics).
5 Comprehend the group level process containing group psychology, race and ethnicity, nationalism, political extremists. (PLO1/PY1: Identification and basic concepts, PLO3/PY3: Be Updated, PLO4/PY4: Interdisciplinary Study, PLO5/PY5: Independent Studying, PLO6/PY6: Taking Responsibility, PLO7/PY7: Social Communication, PLO8/PY8: Be Able to Construct Intercultural Relations).
6 Learn progress on the political psychology of international security and conflict. Make some countries’ case studies by students in group level process about the effect of ethnicity, nationalism, racist and terrorist organizations on domestic and international conflicts. (PLO1/PY1: Basic concepts and theories, PLO3/PY3: Be updated, PLO4/PY4: Interdisciplinary Study, PLO5/PY5: Independent Studying, PLO6/PY6 Taking Responsibility, PLO10/PY10 Ethics).

 
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
WeekTopicsStudy MaterialsMaterials
1 Introduction (An Introduction to Political Psychology, Key Terms) Cottam, et al. (2014): 3-11 Monreo, (2002):15-42 Tost, Sidanius, (2004): 1-2 Erişen, (2012): 9-11
2 Introduction (The Context of Political Psychology in a Short History of This Discipline) Cottam, et al. (2014): 3-11 Monreo, (2002):43-60 Tost, Sidanius, (2004): 2-3 Staerkle, (2015): 427-429 Erişen, (2012): 9-11
3 The Theories and Approaches and (The central psychological theories, the psychology of political attitudes, especially as it pertains to individuals, social groups and values.) Cottam, et al. (2014): 15-22 Sears et al. (2003):19-60
4 Some Personality Frameworks from Political Psychology (The leader analysis frameworks, authoritarianism and trait-based studies) Cottam, et al. (2014): 22-31 Tost, Sidanius, (2004): 45-80
5 Cognition, Social Identity, Emotions and Attitudes in Political Psychology (Categorization of Political Behavior) Cottam, et al. (2014): 39-59
6 Political Psychology Approaches to Leaders (Leadership in Domestic and International Politics as Learning The Factors Such as Personality, Motives and Individual Differences) Sears et al. (2003): 110-145; 253- 284 Tost, Sidanius, (2004): 162-175 Sears et al. (2003): 477-510
7 Political Psychology Approaches to Leaders (The examples of Leaders on Some Cases- Students’ Presentations) Cottam, et al. (2014): 107-120
8 MID TERM EXAM
9 The Political Psychology of Groups (Group Level Process, The Nature of Groups and Influence in Groups) Cottam, et al. (2014): 63-74 Sears et al. (2003): 511-558 Monreo, (2002):193-208
10 The Political Psychology of Groups, (Group Performance and Group Decision Making) Cottam, et al. (2014): 75-92
11 Voting, Role of Media and Tolerance (Beliefs, Values, Ideology and Schemas) Cottam, et al. (2014): 125-150
12 The Political Psychology of Race, Ethnicity and Nationalism (Racism, Ethnic Conflict and Nationalism) Cottam, et al. (2014): 153-187; 191- 220
13 The Political Psychology of Political Extremists and International Security and Conflict (Extemist Grops, Security Dilemna and Conflicts) Cottam, et al. (2014): 224-154; 257- 274
14 Some Countries’ Case Studies About the Effect of Ethnicity, Nationalism, Racist and Terrorist Organizations on Domestic and International Conflicts (Students’ Presentations in Group Level Process) Cottam, et al. (2014): 153-187; 191- 220; 224-154; 257-274
15 FINAL EXAM

 
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10
All 5 1 5 3 5 2 2 2 2
C1 1 4 3
C2 3 2 1
C3 1 3 2 3
C4 2 2 2 3 2 4
C5 4 1 2 4 4 3 3
C6 1 1 3 1 3 3

  Contribution: 1: Very Slight 2:Slight 3:Moderate 4:Significant 5:Very Significant