Psychological methods in political perception studies

An article focuses on specific features of the use of psychological methods for the study of political objects. An focus is made on political perception. An author bases her conclusions on the literature as well as on her own studies’ experience. A distinctive feature of political perception is its indirect character. The mass distribution of new channels of political communication leads to the virtualization of politics and the separation of political images from the real interests and everyday practices of citizens. This is reflected in the process of perception, in which unconscious components play a significant role. In this regard, for the study of political images, both at the rational level and on the unconscious, it is necessary to use complex research methods. The following methods will be considered in this article: in-depth interview, projective test, open question survey and fixed association method. They have proved to be effective in studying political phenomena

1. Breslav G.Eh. Cvetopsihologiya i cvetolechenie [Color psychology and color therapy]. Saint-Petersburg: B&L, 2000. 212 p.
2. Mel’nikova O.T. Kachestvennye metody v reshenii prakticheskih social’no-psihologicheskih zadach [Qualitative methods in solving practical social and psychological problems]. In Yu.M. Zhukov, L.A. Petrovskaya, O.V. Solov’eva (ed.). Vvedenie v prakticheskuyu social’nuyu psihologiyu [Introduction to practical social psychology]. Moscow, 1996, pp. 265—280.
3. Folomeeva T.V, Barteneva O.M. Opyt primeneniya proektivnoj metodiki «Psihologicheskij risunok» v issledovanii social’nyh ob”ektov [Experience in the use of projective technique “Psychological drawing” in the study of social objects]. Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Ser. 14, Psihologiya [The Moscow University Herald. Series 14. Psychology], 2000, .no 2, pp. 27—40.
4. Folomeeva T.V., Cekhonya O.S. Proektivnye metody v issledovanii potrebitel’skogo povedeniya [Projective methods in the study of consumer behavior]. Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Ser.14, Psihologiya [The Moscow University Herald. Series 14. Psychology], 1997, no. 4, pp 73—79.
5. Shestopal E.B. Psihologiya politicheskogo vospriyatiya v sovremennoj Rossii [Psychology of political perception in modern Russia.]. gl. 2. Moscow: ROSSPEN, 2012, 423 p.
6. Shestopal E.B. Obrazy rossijskoj vlasti ot El’cina do Putina [Images of Russian power from Yeltsin to Putin]. Moscow: ROSSPEHN, 2008, 416 p.
7. Shestopal E.B. Obraz vlasti v Rossii: zhelaniya i real’nost’ (politiko-psihologicheskij analiz) [Image of authority in Russia: desires and reality (politico-psychological analysis)]. Polis, 1995, no. 4, pp. 86—98.
8. Shestopal E.B., Novikova-Grund M.V. Vospriyatie obrazov 12 vedushchih politikov Rossii (psihologicheskij i lingvisticheskij analiz) [Perception of images of 12 leading Russian politicians (psychological and linguistic analysis)]. Polis, 1996, no 5, pp. 168—191.
9. Bruner J. On perceptual readiness. Psychological Review, 1957. Vol. 64, no. 2, pp. 123—152.
10. Bruner J., Postman L. On the perception of incongruity: A paradigm. Journal of Personality, 1949. Vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 206—223.
11. Fiske S. Social cognition and social perception. Annual Review of Psychology, 1993. Vol. 44, pp. 155—194.
12. Fiske S., Neuberg S.L. A continuum of impression formation, from category-based to individuating processes: Influences of information and motivation on attention and interpretation. In M.P. Zanna (ed.). Advances in experimental social psychology. New York: Academic Press, 1990. Vol. 23, pp. 1—74.