Philip Chen, PhD

My research focuses broadly on political behavior, public

opinion, and political communication. Specifically, I'm

interested in how differences in voters' traits and identities
affect reactions to information from campaigns or the media.

My research examines individual differences in race, gender,

partisanship, racial attitudes, sexism, and personality traits

(including the Big Five and the Dark Triad), among other

predispositions. I study how these aspects of voters change

their understanding of the American political landscape.

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I am currently working on a project examining the role that social
identities play in shaping individual's beliefs about the federal court system.
We use a variety of survey and experimental data to show that trust and legitimacy in the federal judiciary is contingent both on aspects of descriptive as well as substantive representation. We also investigate how anti-egalitarian attitudes (such as sexism and racial resentment) influence support for court decisions, perceptions of judicial bias, and trust in judges and the system.

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Other projects include work on the influence of gender and gender stereotypes on the psychology underlying perceptions of candidate competence, a project studying the differential effects of racial resentment and white identity on candidate evaluations, and an investigation of the underlying political and psychological causes of raced-gendered gaps in congressional fundraising.

 

I enjoy teaching courses on a variety of topics in American politics. My classes combine contemporary readings with an eye towards practical skills. Depending on the course, my students can be found producing campaign materials for congressional candidates, composing fact sheets for local non-profits, debating the positive and negative consequences of political polarization, or even making paper airplanes to better understand hypothesis testing!

 

Outside of the classroom, I enjoy Ultimate Frisbee, golf, fishing, and playing with my kids (Rosie, Ezra, and Felix) and dog (Hazel). If I'm not in my office, it's a good bet that I'm outside, hopefully doing something fun.