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Political psychology may be legitimately developed as a "social aesthetic.&;rdquo; Its activities generate social forms, much as in the arts. While logic works within the confines of society's language, aesthetic forms work with its sensibility, in the understanding that significance lies within the unitary wholes. In this sense, political psychology cannot be separated from psychology in general. In both cases we participate in the generation of form. However, because these forms enter society in significant ways, reflexive attention must be given to what it is we create. Mechanical forms, which are common to the field and to society generally, contribute to a condition of social alienation; in contrast, the form of a game is more closely related to the spontaneous creation of community.

THE ARTICLE ATTEMPTS TO APPLY THE BEST OF PSYCHOLOGY TO THE GENERATION OF POLITICAL PEACE AND FREEDOM AND JUSTICE, WHICH IS WHAT HUMANS NEED AS CONDITIONS FOR THE GOOD LIFE. IT CITES EXAMPLES "CRUCIAL TO THE MEANINGFULNESS OF POLITICAL PSUCHOLOGY." THESE EXAMPLES INCLUDE: INDEPENDENT ANARCHY; EXOTIC DEMOCRACY; COMMUNITY, VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL; AND WAYS OF JUDGING POLITICANS.

Political Psychology does not have as much prominence in the US as in Europe. It should be promoted there to fill in the dearth of data on legislative & elite behavior. Political Psychology could provide a counterpoint to rational choice theory. Differences between Political Psychology & rational choice theory are discussed, eg, Political Psychology's consideration of political preferences as endogenous as well as exogenous. Both perspectives with their respective strengths & weaknesses should be applied to solving political research questions & covering both elite behavior & mass level behavior, traditionally the realm of Political Sociology & Social Psychology. References. M. Pflum