O'Rourke, Stephen.jpg

10/27 Battle of the Ballot: The College of New Rochelle to Host “The Political Psychology of the 2016 Election” 6:30 PM

Written By: Talk of the Sound News

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The College of New Rochelle today announced it will host a public lecture on the 2016 election that will focus on the ways both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Secretary Hillary Clinton, have attempted to communicate sincerity, understanding, and competence to the voters, while trying to undermine each other’s messages. The lecture, called “The Political Psychology of the 2016 Election,” will take place on Thursday, October 27 at 6:30 p.m. at the New Rochelle campus.

The event will be presented by Dr. Daniel McCarthy, Associate Professor of Political Science in the School of Arts & Sciences, and Dr. Stephen O’Rourke, Associate Professor of Psychology in the School of Arts & Sciences. Together, they will lead a discussion on how Americans have reacted to this election’s candidates. McCarthy and O’Rourke will address questions such as: Why were they chosen by their parties in the first place? How are they being evaluated now? And, why do some people love one candidate and hate the other?

“According to the democratic ideal, citizens rationally evaluate policies and candidates and then make choices after careful consideration of the evidence. But in real life, people make political decisions based on both reason and emotion,” O’Rourke said 

McCarthy added, “It is often the case that voters’ emotions govern their rationality. Reasons are given for decisions that have already been made because they feel right. Politicians seek to influence these feelings through their speeches, symbolic actions, advertisements, endorsements and policy positions.”

Dr. Stephen O’Rourke received his Ph.D. in Social/Personality Psychology from the University of Albany. Since joining CNR in 2000, he has taught Psychological Statistics, Experimental Psychology, Personality Psychology, Social Psychology, Psychology of Learning, Psychology and Religion, and a new evolutionary studies course, entitled Evolution Everywhere.

While previous research work has focused on the Big Five model of personality, adult attachment theory, and evolutionary psychology, O’Rourke’s current research is on the effects of face-to-face cooperative games on emotions and cognition.

Dr. Daniel McCarthy is a graduate of Manhattan College (B.A.) and the University of Notre Dame (M.A., Ph.D.). His teaching areas include the American presidency, Congress, constitutional law, and public policy. McCarthy’s current research is a study of the role of conspiracy theories in American politics, especially how these theories affect elections and why many people believe the theories.

“The Political Psychology of the 2016 Election” will take place on Thursday, October 27, at 6:30 p.m. at the Sweeny Student Center (Rooms A, B, and C) at The College of New Rochelle, located at 29 Castle Place in New Rochelle. 

For more information about the lecture, contact the Office of Alumnae/i Relations by calling (914) 654-5250 or emailing alum@cnr.edu. For more information about The College of New Rochelle, visit www.cnr.edu.