Research work · 2022
Introduction
Alex Mintz, Lesley G. Terris
The Oxford Handbook of Behavioral Political Science
Abstract
Abstract Behavioral political science (BPS) is a new approach to political science that is rooted in the belief that concepts, models, and research approaches from different disciplines (such as psychology, economics, communication) can deepen one’s understanding of political behavior and political decision-making (Mintz et al 2021). In recent years, a significant body of literature based in the behavioral approach has emerged, enriching the ways by which a wide range of cognitive, emotional, and motivational factors impact actors’ thinking processes and behavior choices in different strategic, political, and other social settings. This introduction discusses the BPS approach and the ability of behavioral-oriented research to explain many of the phenomena that deviate from the traditional rational choice models that have dominated the field for decades. It presents the chapters included in the four sections of the handbook: bounded rationality and heuristics, theoretical approaches, attitudes, and BPS research methods.