The Psychology of Politicians

Psychologists investigate the minds, personalities and abilities of politicians seeking explanations for their behaviour, health and performance.

Ashley Weinberg (Edited by)

9780521130660, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 15 December 2011

248 pages, 14 b/w illus. 9 tables
22.7 x 15.2 x 1.5 cm, 0.4 kg

'This book is a must for those who aspire to a political life. For those already legislating, pour yourself a stiff drink and start reading!' Peter Hennessy, Attlee Professor of Contemporary British History, Queen Mary, University of London

The Psychology of Politicians explores a topic which fuels public and media debate yet is under-researched and has potentially far-reaching consequences for the success of our political systems. Focusing on research with democratically elected representatives from the UK, Poland and Italy, and on the political behaviour of a former US President and voters' perceptions in the emerging democracy of Ukraine, this book is packed with psychological insights. Using quantitative and qualitative methodologies, the contributors chart the progress of the individual politician from selection as a candidate to becoming established in Parliament examining their qualities as communicators, thinkers and leaders. The impact of work and non-work pressures on their mental well-being and capacity to handle a crisis are probed and the roles of personality traits in politicians' values and in public perceptions of our elected representatives are highlighted.

1. The psychology of politicians Ashley Weinberg
Part I. Becoming Politicians: 2. Recruiting politicians: designing competency-based selection for UK parliamentary candidates Jo Silvester
3. Politicians and power: MPs in the UK parliament Richard Kwiatkowski
Part II. Being at the Centre of Things: How Politicians Function in their Job: 4. What makes a successful politician? The social skills of politics Peter Bull
5. Cognitive skills and motivation to adapt to social change among Polish politicians Agnieszka Golec de Zavala
6. Political leadership and its development Jean Hartley
Part III. Coping with Pressure?: 7. Should the job of national politician carry a government health warning? The impact of psychological strain on politicians Ashley Weinberg
8. When cognitions reach boiling point: the impact of denial and avoidance by policy-makers during a foreign policy crisis Max V. Metselaar
Part IV. People as Politicians: 9. The political side of personality Gianvittorio Caprara, Michele Vecchione and Claudio Barbaranelli
10. Where red dictators coexist with promising democrats: the conceptualization of politicians in post-communist Ukraine Pavlo D. Frolov, Olha V. Petrunko and Dmitriy V. Poznyak.

Subject Areas: Political leaders & leadership [JPHL], Social, group or collective psychology [JMH]