Uncovering Political Psychology: An Application of Political and Social Psychological Theory as Tied to Partisan Decision Making.

Political psychology is the application of psychological theory towards better understanding voting patterns, political discourse, and partisan alignment. While current research in the field applies psychological frameworks to political behavior, research in political psychology seldom incorporates theory and data from the field of political science. Given the relevance of research in political science that illuminates social and cultural trends connected to politics, political psychology’s distance from political science is a chief issue that narrows its applied scope. Using an interdisciplinary framework utilizing political psychology and political science, this project seeks to offer a comprehensive investigation of the psychological and political motivations underlying partisan alignment, or specifically why individuals choose to orient themselves with a political party. This analytical approach offers valuable insight into the motivational, cultural, and societal underpinnings of political party alignment and partisan affiliation. Themes that emerge from this analysis highlight the salience of perceived individual inclusion in party outreach and the sense of moral righteousness tied to a partisan platform