K2SP 3715 - From Political Behavior to Political Dynamics: A Cognitive Approach to the Political Sphere
K2SP 3715 · Spring semester 2025-2026
- Language of tuition
- English
- Course type
- Cours magistral
- Number of hours
- 24
- Credits
- 4
Information
Description
This course offers a panorama of how cognitive approaches can help to understand the dynamics of
the political sphere. Through an in-depth analysis of key issues related to political dynamics, it
introduces the main cognitive mechanisms relevant for both the analysis of political behaviour and the
evaluation of public policies. To this end, the course will be organised around a combination of formal
lectures and student-led discussions on the application of psychological insights to concrete situations
and actual public policies. The first half of the semester will be devoted to understanding key
democratic issues such as political participation and polarisation, and the second half to analysing
larger social dynamics such as attitudes to inequality and social trends. Importantly, the ethical and
methodological aspects of this approach will be discussed throughout the semester.
Prerequisites
None
Teaching format
This course aims to be as engaging and interactive as possible. Students will have regular opportunities
to reflect on the cognitive insights and two sessions will be dedicated to discussing their behavioural
analyses.
Assessment
10% class participation
40% case study presentations (cognitive analysis of a concrete issue, twice per semester, collective
work)
50% Final paper - writing a cognitive analysis of a real policy issue (3000 words - individual work)
Readings
Main readings 4
-
Mercier, H. (2017). How gullible are we? A review of the evidence from psychology and social science. Review of General Psychology, 21(2), 103-122.
-
Payne, B. K., & Hannay, J. W. (2021). Implicit bias reflects systemic racism. Trends in cognitive sciences, 25(11), 927-936.
-
Starmans, C., Sheskin, M., & Bloom, P. (2017). Why people prefer unequal societies. Nature Human Behaviour, 1(4), 1-7.
-
Todorov, A., Mandisodza, A. N., Goren, A., & Hall, C. C. (2005). Inferences of competence from faces predict election outcomes. Science, 308(5728), 1623-1626.
Further readings 5
-
Aarøe, L., & Petersen, M. B. (2014). Crowding out culture: Scandinavians and Americans agree on social welfare in the face of deservingness cues. The Journal of Politics, 76(3), 684- 697.
-
Bastardoz, N., & Van Vugt, M. (2019). The nature of followership: Evolutionary analysis and review. The Leadership Quarterly, 30(1), 81-95.
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Crowder-Meyer, M., Gadarian, S. K., & Trounstine, J. (2020). Voting can be hard, information helps. Urban Affairs Review, 56(1), 124-153.Kelly, D., & Setman, S. (2020). The psychology of normative cognition.
-
El Zein, M., Bahrami, B., & Hertwig, R. (2019). Shared responsibility in collective decisions. Nature human behaviour, 3(6), 554-559.
-
Sijilmassi, A., Safra, L., & Baumard, N. (2024). ‘Our Roots Run Deep’: Historical Myths as Culturally Evolved Technologies for Coalitional Recruitment. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 1-44.
Teaching units
| Unit no. | Unit type | Teaching units | Teachers | Number of hours | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 57357 | Cours magistral | From Political Behavior to Political Dynamics: A Cognitive Approach to the Political Sphere | Lou SAFRA | 24 | 4 |
Teachers
- Lou SAFRA
In the curricula
- MASTER IN EUROPEAN AFFAIRS, POLICY STREAM POLITCS AND PUBLIC POLICY, SEMESTER 2 : 2025-2026ÉCOLE D'AFFAIRES PUBLIQUES (EAP)
- MASTER IN PUBLIC POLICY, POLICY STREAM POLITCS AND PUBLIC POLICY, SEMESTER 2 : 2025-2026ÉCOLE D'AFFAIRES PUBLIQUES (EAP)
Contacts and resources
- Contact
- SCHITTONE Delphine