Course syllabus. The Dark Triad and Political Leadership.

Transcription

1 Course syllabus Course title Instructor s name Contact details Affiliation Course format Number of hours The Dark Triad and Political Leadership Monika Prusik, PhD monika.prusik@uw.edu.pl University of Warsaw, The Robert B. Zajonc Institute for Social Studies The Maria Grzegorzewska University seminar 15h Number of ECTS credits 2 ECTS Brief course description This course will examine the Dark Triad personality traits (narcissism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism), and explore their relationship with political leadership. Students will identify symptoms among past or present leaders and evaluate the influence on decision-making of the Dark Triad's components. In the process, the participants will use and become familiar with knowledge and methods from the different subfields of psychology: social psychology, political psychology, forensic/clinical psychology, cognitive schema theory? Full course description The Dark Triad in psychology is understood as a group of three personality traits: narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism. According to a popular view these personal characteristics are often associated with "successful" leadership. The course is designed to use an intradisciplinary (within psychology) approach to help participants understand the Dark Triad personality traits, to recognize their symptoms among former or current political leaders and to predict the possible consequences of leading based on the Dark Triad components: both negative and positive. Concepts, methods, and knowledge from several diverse areas of psychology can be used: social psychology, political psychology, forensic psychology, and cognitive schema therapy. After a theoretical introduction, students will be divided into groups and assigned projects. The task of each group will be to choose a former or current political leader, who, in the group's opinion, has exhibited one of the Dark Triad traits, and to analyze her/his personality and leadership by the in-depth analyses of all available sources, politicall actions and decisions, memoirs and biographies, news media reports, recorded interviews and speeches, etc., providing information about personal qualities and public actions and allowing an analysis of psychological mechanisms and motivations. Learning outcomes As a result of attending the proposed course studentss will be able to : remember the definition or descriptions of the Dark Triad's components and its subtypes

2 distinguish narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellism from other personality disorders/traits understand, characterize and explain the history of the Dark Triad concept analyze leaders who could be characterized by the components of the Dark Triad evaluate the consequences of leading based on the Dark Triad traits combine knowledge relevant to personality and leadership from different subfields, such as social, personality, and forensic psychology, and psychopathology. Learning activities and teaching methods Typically each meeting will be divided in two. There will be always a short lecture on a particular topic followed by one of these possible activities: - discussion, debates - collective work in groups - short studies by a group of students and a 30-minute presentation of their results (3-4 groups, 3-4 presentations) Teaching methods: - explaining, demonstrating, collaborating - stimulation of critical thinking - illumination of ideas List of topics/classes and bibliography Classes 1-2 (First week). Topic 1: Introduction to the Dark Triad concept. What is the Dark Triad? Classifications of personality disorders. A brief history of the concept. The Dark Triad among other personality disorders. (2004). Personality Disorders: Classical Foundations. In: T. Millon (Ed.), Personality Disorders in Modern Life (pp. 1-37). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. (2004). Personality Disorders: Contemporary Perspectives. In: T. Millon (Ed.), Personality Disorders in Modern Life (pp ). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Classes 3-4. (Second week) Topic 2: Narcissism. Definition, symptoms, measurement and consequences. Obligatory reading: (2004). The Narcissistic Personality. In: T. Millon (Ed.), Personality Disorders in Modern Life (pp ). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Lachkar, J. (2008). How to Talk to a Narcissist. New York: Routledge.

3 Classes 5-6. (Third week) Topic 3: Psychopathy. Definition, symptoms, measurement, consequences. Obligatory reading: (2004). The Antisocial Personality. In: T. Millon (Ed.), Personality Disorders in Modern Life (pp ). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Levenson M. R., Kiehl K. A., Fitzpatrick C. M. (1995). Assessing psychopathic attributes in a non-institutionalized population. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 68 (1): Hare, R.D., (1991). The Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised. Toronto: Multi-Health Systems. Hare, R. D. (2003). Manual for the Revised Psychopathy Checklist (2nd ed.). Toronto, ON, Canada: Multi-Health Systems. Classes 7-8. (Fourth week) Topic 4: Machiavellianism Definition, symptoms, measurement, consequences. Obligatory readings: Jones, D. N., & Paulhus, D. L. (2009). Machiavellianism. In M. R. Leary & R. H. Hoyle (Eds.), Handbook of Individual Differences in Social Behavior (pp ). New York: Guilford. Christie, R., & Geis, F. L. (1970). Studies in Machiavellianism. New York: Academic Press. Topic 5: Components of the Dark Triad: Overlapping and interdependence? Discussion about the concepts and contents of the Dark Triad with an emphasis on similarities and differences according to different theoretical approaches. Summary of the theoretical understanding of the concept. Obligatory readings: Paulhus, D. L., Williams, K. M. (2002). The Dark Triad of personality: Narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. Journal of Research in Personality, 36, McHoskey J. W., Worzel W., Szyarto C. (1998). Machiavellianism and psychopathy. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74 (1), Class (Fifth week) Topic 6: Introduction to political psychology. Psychology of leadership. Various psychological typologies of leadership. Do personality traits influence governing? The relationship between personality traits and type of leadership. Immelman, A. (2003). Personality in Political Psychology. In T. Millon, M. J. Lerner & I. B. Weiner (Eds.), Handbook of Psychology. Volume 5. Personality and Social Psychology. (pp ). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

4 Class (Sixth, Seventh week) Topic 7: Group project presentations. Students will present a chosen well-known political leader (past or present) on the basis of given questions in order to make a psychological diagnosis and assess the possible relationship between personality traits and the consequences of leadership.. Detailed instruction will be given how to prepare the project. Class 11. The Narcissistic leader? Presentation by the first group of students (30 min + 15 min. discussion) Class 12. The Psychopathic leader? Presentation by the second group of students (30 min + 15 min. discussion) Class 13. The Machiavellian leader? Presentation by the third group of students. (30 min min. discussion) Class 14. Who is Frank Underwood (House of Cards)? Narcissist? Psychopath or Machiavellian? Presentation by the fourth group of students. (30 min min. discussion) Class 15. (Eight week) Exam? Multiple choice short exam, Evaluation surveys Assessment methods and criteria Attendance rules Prerequisites The final grade will consist of: 1. Activity during the class (10%) 2. Homework (20%) 3. Presentations by group of students (40%) 4. Multiple choice short exam (30%) Attendance in the course is crucial. One absence of two academic hours is allowed without excuse. No special knowledge or background is required but some basic interest in international events is highly desirable. All are welcome! Enthusiasm and scientific curiosity are highly desirable! Agreement for the following statements: I understand that main contribution to the course will be based on team work. My work will be my own work. I will have a respect for other people s work, opinions and performance throughout the course. Academic honesty Basket Remarks Students must respect the principles of academic integrity. Cheating and plagiarism (including copying work from other students, internet or other sources) are serious violations that are punishable and instructors are required to report all cases to the administration. 6. Social Psychology All obligatory readings will be available at the Copy Point at the Faculty of Psychology or throughout dropbox.

5 The final syllabus will be given during the first class! The list of obligatory readings might be shortened!!! The syllabus is still subject to slight changes in the proposed bibliography and organization of classes. If required, one of the classes will be dedicated to group work on the projects.