Research Areas

Voting Behaviour

Voting behaviour is a dynamic and growing field of political psychology, both in Indonesia and in the world in general. The dynamics of the study area of voting behaviour occurs because of its cross-disciplinary nature involving several disciplines, including political science, sociology, economics, communication, and psychology in its analysis. Furthermore, the development of the study of voting behaviour is responsive to the development of political contexts, changes in public interaction in general, as well as the increasingly sophisticated information technology and research methods of human behaviour.

The development of research methods and statistics has also contributed to the development of the study of voting behaviour, both in Indonesia and around the world. Now, the study of voting behaviour is carried out using survey methods and quantitative analysis in a wider setting, namely countries and even between countries to produce universal concepts, models and theories. Recent developments show that studies of voting behaviour use the population-based survey experiment method, thereby increasing internal validity and increasing the level of population representation.

Collective Action

The collective action phenomenon is an important focus of study in political psychology. Collective action is all forms of planned and systematic action carried out by a group or individual in an attempt to achieve the group’s goals. Demonstrations, protests, long marches, public speeches, street theatre, and other actions are categorized as collective actions. Collective action can be defined as an action involving group members as a form of group representation (Wright, Taylor, & Moghaddam, 1990). Although collective action is related to groups, collective action is also related to individual decisions on whether to be involved or not in an action (van Stekelenburg & Klandermans, 2009).

Collective action is examined in different contexts. Past research has addressed issues of education, environment, state political policy, and religion. In Indonesia, collective action phenomena involving religious groups and students continue to occur. However, collective actions are not only carried out with long marches and peaceful protests but could lead to violence, which violates community norms.

Political Ideology

An ideology is the foundation of the social representations shared by a social group. Depending on one’s perspective, group membership or ethics, these group ideas may be valued positively, negatively, or not be valued at all (van Dijk, 2006). It is important to remember that ideological beliefs can be based on facts or they may not be based on facts at all. Ideology serves a function for individuals to rationalize their living conditions or actions, define specific group characteristics and structure, and to socially persuade others through ideas or symbols.

In Indonesia, mass demonstrations often occur due to political ideological differences. These differences in political ideology can be influenced by psychological factors. Political psychology researchers aim to understand how political ideology is formed, how it is influenced by psychological factors, and how it impacts political behavior and decision-making. Studies have also shown that emotions, such as fear and anger, play a significant role in shaping political attitudes and behavior. Additionally, social identity factors such as race, gender, and religion can influence an individual’s political ideology, as can cognitive biases such as confirmation bias and motivated reasoning.

Violent Extremism

In political psychology, violent extremism is understood as a complex phenomenon that involves a combination of psychological, social, and political factors. Violent extremists are individuals or groups who use violence to achieve their political, social, or religious goals, often targeting innocent civilians and creating a climate of fear and insecurity.

Research in political psychology has identified a range of psychological factors that can contribute to the development of violent extremism. These factors can include personal grievances, perceived injustices, a desire for revenge, a sense of identity crisis, and feelings of humiliation or powerlessness. Additionally, personality traits such as high levels of aggression, low empathy, and a willingness to take risks can also play a role in the development of violent extremism.

Social and political factors can also contribute to the development of violent extremism. These can include economic and political marginalization, discrimination, social exclusion, and a lack of access to education and opportunities. Additionally, extremist ideologies and propaganda can further radicalize individuals and groups, providing a sense of purpose, identity, and belonging.

Attitudes Towards Science

Several theoretical and empirical accounts describe how science is hard to understand and learn, that is, it does not come naturally to humans. Unlike religious belief, scientific understanding requires cognitive skills that are not easily acquired (McCauley, 2011, Shtulman, 2017). It is not just that people reject science because they lack the ability to understand it; oftentimes people reject science because it runs afoul of the way they prefer to think.

This research area aims to uncover which ideological, motivational, and moral processes shape attitudes toward science and what it entails to believe in science. When do people embrace science and when do they reject scientific evidence, and how do they evaluate science as an enterprise and scientists as the agents that represent this enterprise? We aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the recent work on motivated evaluations of science, by reviewing and integrating three recent lines of research: (1) the relations of religious belief and political ideology to attitudes toward science, (2) the existential-motivational underpinnings and functions of belief in science, and (3) the effects of morality on evaluations of science and scientists.