POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY AND ECONOMIC PSYCHOLOGY

In: Political psychology: journal of the International Society of Political Psychology, Band 12, Heft 4, S. 747-758

Abstract

IN MODERN INDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES, IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SEPARATE ECONOMIC CONCERNS FROM POLITICAL ONES. YET THE FIELD OF POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY HAS DEVELOPED RATHER INDEPENDENTLY FROM THE STUDY OF ECONOMIC PSYCHOLOGY. THIS ARTICLE CONSIDERS WHETHER THERE ARE WAYS IN WHICH THE INDIVIDUALISTIC, HIGHLY RATIONALISTIC ASSUMPTIONS THAT DOMINATE OUR ECONOMIC SYSTEM FEED BACK TO SHAPE AND LIMIT OUR PSYCHOLOGICAL INQUIRIES. IT ALSO ASKS WHETHER THESE ASSUMPTIONS LEAD US UNWITTINGLY TO ATTRIBUTE EXCESSIVE AUTONOMY TO THE ECONOMIC SPHERE AND TO FAIL TO INTEGRATE THE ECONOMIC DIMENSION INTO PSYCHOLOGICAL INQUIRIES REGARDING OUR POLITICAL LIFE. THE AUTHOR CONSIDERS THESE QUESTIONS AND APPLIES THEM TO ISSUES OF TAXATION, POVERTY, SOCIAL GENEROSITY, AND NUCLEAR WINTER.