Political Psychology: Citizen Behaviors and Opinions Lecture 7 Emotion 1: Affective intelligence
Program What is affect? Historical bias against emotions Lessons from neurosciences A model for politics Elements of demonstration Criticisms
What is affect? Lecture 7 Emotion 1: Affective intelligence
What is affect? Psychological state that is felt as pleasant or unpleasant. There are many finer distinctions. Can be generated by an outside stimuli, an interior thought, or a physiological change.
A historical bias against emotions Lecture 7 Emotion 1: Affective intelligence
A historical bias Cult of rationality Dangerous emotions Need to contain them
Four pathologies Displacement pathology Distraction pathology Intransigence pathology Self-absorption pathology
Lessons from neurosciences Lecture 7 Emotion 1: Affective intelligence
Two revealing studies Édouard Claparède and his patient unable to form new memories Antonio D’Amasio and his card game
Implications Affect precedes cognition. Affective treatment is unconscious. Habits are useful.
Two types of memory Declarative memory Procedural memory
Two types of memory
A model for politics Lecture 7 Emotion 1: Affective intelligence
Disposition system: – manages execution of habits – produces enthusiasm or frustration Surveillance system: – searches for novelty and threat – launches cognitive analysis – produces anxiety or calmness Two emotional systems
Indicate : when people will use their partisan attachments in politics, when they will pay attention to issues, when they will be motivated to learn, and when they will be persuaded to switch sides. Two emotional systems
Unless anxious, voters will rely on political habits. Citizens need enthusiasm to vote according to habits. What makes people anxious depends on their habits. When anxious, individuals will use habits less, be motivated to learn, be more attentive, be more influenced by deliberation, and make more enlightened choices. Implications
Elements of demonstration Lecture 7 Emotion 1: Affective intelligence
Variation of emotions? Experiments Electoral campaigns Economic conjuncture
Variation of emotions?
Two systems?
More engagement?
More defection?
Differents ingredients?
Better choices?
Affective intelligence Complement to rational choice theory Optimist perspective on the quality of citizens’ decisions
Criticisms Lecture 7 Emotion 1: Affective intelligence
Criticisms Does affect really precede cognition? It is difficult to distinguish affect from cognition. A beneficial influence on decision quality?