INTRODUCTION: Theoretical Foundations of Political Psychology

This chapter serves as an introduction to the Oxford Handbook of Political Psychology. It provides an overview of the field, focusing on key theories, topics, and empirical approaches. The chapter begins by defining political psychology as the behavior of individuals within a specific political system. This is followed by a lengthy discussion on the major intellectual underpinnings of political psychology in biopolitics, personality, cognitive and affective psychology, and intergroup relations. These approaches are often contrasted with a rational approach to human behavior and help to explain why human political behavior often falls short of the democratic ideal. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the volume’s organization and an overview of its specific chapters.