Political Cognition

1 Course Unit

This doctoral seminar examines how individuals perceive, process, and respond to political information. Drawing from communication, political science, psychology, and cognitive science, the course explores how political belief systems form, evolve, and interact with processes like Bayesian updating, motivated reasoning, and identity-based cognition. We analyze how partisan and social identities structure beliefs, how framing and priming shape perception, and when individuals engage in rational versus motivated reasoning. The course also considers the broader implications for democratic accountability, focusing on the influence of elites, media, and institutions in shaping public attitudes. 1 Course Unit