Political Psychology and Elite Decision-Making Concepts

Political Psychology

The scientific study of the mind and behavior in the context of political processes.

Elites in Political Psychology

Individuals with disproportionate power in political decisions, such as presidents or informal advisors like Elon Musk.

Factors Influencing Elite Decision-Making

Travel behavior, morality, and control.

Rational Choice Theory

A theory that assumes individuals make decisions by rationally weighing costs and benefits to maximize personal advantage.

Homo Economicus Model

A rational, self-interested individual who makes decisions to maximize utility.

Critiques of Rational Choice Theory

It oversimplifies human behavior, assumes perfect information, and often ignores emotions or psychological biases.

Bounded Rationality

A concept that suggests decision-making is limited by cognitive limitations, information availability, and time constraints.

Prospect Theory

A theory that describes how people choose between risky options and how they are more sensitive to potential losses than gains.

Status Quo Bias

A preference to keep things the same rather than change, even when change may be beneficial.

Framing Effect

The way information is presented can significantly influence choices, even if the underlying facts remain the same.

Heuristics in Elite Behavior

Heuristics are mental shortcuts that help elites make decisions quickly, but they can lead to biases and errors.

Availability Heuristic

Judging the probability of events based on how easily examples come to mind.

Representativeness Heuristic

Judging probabilities based on how similar something is to a typical case or stereotype.

Groupthink

A group decision-making flaw where the desire for consensus overrides realistic appraisal of alternatives.

Characteristics of Groupthink

Illusion of unanimity, pressure to conform, and suppression of dissent.

Definition of Elite in Political Psychology

An individual with disproportionate influence in political decision-making.

Examples of Elites

A president and an informal advisor like Elon Musk.

Psychological Factors Influencing Elite Behavior

Travel behavior, morality, and control.

Utility in Rational Choice Theory

The satisfaction or benefit derived from a choice or action.

Utility Function

A mathematical representation of an individual's preferences over outcomes.

Assumptions about Preferences

Preferences are complete and transitive.

Bounded Rationality Developer

Herbert Simon.

Satisficing

Choosing the first acceptable solution rather than the optimal one.

Central Idea of Prospect Theory

People value gains and losses differently, leading to irrational decision-making under risk.

Loss Aversion

Losses feel more significant than equivalent gains.

Developers of Prospect Theory

Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky.

Editing and Evaluation in Prospect Theory

Editing simplifies choices; evaluation assesses outcomes based on a reference point.

Heuristic

A mental shortcut used to make judgments quickly.

Anchoring Effect

Relying too heavily on an initial piece of information.

Symptoms of Groupthink

Illusion of invulnerability, collective rationalization, and self-censorship.

Conditions Promoting Groupthink

Cohesive groups, directive leadership, and high-stress environments.