Psychology Topic: Politics/Conflict Management with Keith Rice

What will I learn?

This is one of two psychology topics which build on the Introductory course, ‘Understanding Yourself and Others’. It provides a more in-depth approach to a key area to help you explore specific interests under discussion or build knowledge of psychology and behavioural sciences. Attendance on the Introductory course is helpful, but not essential, as recaps and additional study material will be e first part of this course looks at socio-psychological explanations of how and why people tend towards particular political preferences. It also looks at how political systems are changing and why longstanding traditional party allegiances are breaking down. The relationship of intelligence, brain structure and political preference is explored. Certain brains prefer certain politics – myth or reality? The second part of the course looks at how to manage conflicts – from the micro (e.g: a husband and wife locked in to a long-running dispute) to the macro (e.g: countries threatening each other with war). Some key conflict management models will be explored, including the one used to end Apartheid in South Africa. Participants will have the opportunity to consider their own conflict patterns in a safe environment.