Political Psychology in Europe and the World: Advances, Theoretical Debates and Empirical Applications

This section, sponsored by the Political Psychology Standing Group, surveys hot topics in political psychology research in Europe and the world, following the successful tradition of our Political Psychology sections since 2005 ( in Glasgow, Bordeaux, Reykjavik, Potsdam, Pisa, and Budapest). Goal of the section is to address the psychological determinants of political phenomena. It explores the formation and change of public opinion, political preferences, attitudes and behavior, identity and conflict, focusing on psychological processes and mechanisms. The section hosts panels with theoretically driven empirical research papers from senior and junior international scholars and highlights cutting-edge research developments in the field. The section invites research-based papers investigating the following topics: personality and leadership, political ambition and motives, political decision-making, political scandals, crises, political marketing, political communication and the Internet, image making, political knowledge, party and candidate preferences, ideology, political values, political emotions, neuropolitics and biopolitics. In addition, the section invites papers on political socialization structures and processes, political identity development, political distrust and cynicism, political violence and terrorism, radicalism, extremism, multiculturalism, fanaticism, group identification, and civic competence. The purpose of the section is to further scientific discussion and research across all national scientific communities in Europe and the world on the above topics. Upon completion of the conference, selected papers from the panels will contribute to the second volume of Advances in Global Political Psychology (first volume now published under the title Palgrave Handbook of Global Political Psychology). Possible Panel ideas: 1. Political leadership and public opinion 2. Media, Campaigns and Image-making 3. Political Knowledge, Socialization and Learning 4. Political Crises, Tensions, Scandals: management and implications 5. Extreme Political Attitudes and Behaviours: fanaticism, radicalism 6. Political values, ideology and identity 7. Conflict vs. Cohesion: threat, phobias, multiculturalism 8. Advances in Political Psychology: methodological and theoretical contributions