Psychological Foundations of Elite Political Behavior: Personality & Situational Imperatives

Most literature on political elite behavior, i.e. elected politicians, is based on rational choice assumptions: Differences in elite behavior are due to institutional and organizational incentives, not basic individual differences. Another strand ofliterature argues that the personality traits of elites are consequential. So far these two literatures have not been joined and little is known about how interactions between institutions, situational imperatives and personality shape political elite behavior. In three interrelated projects we examine when and why political elite behavior is informed by differences in personality and the extent to which situational imperatives moderate this influence. Hence, the project not only adds to our understanding of when context is more important than the personal dispositions of political elites, it also contributes to a more nuanced understanding of how the personality-context interplay shapes the motivations and behaviors of political elites.

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