Volume 80, Issue 5
Friday, June 15th, 2018
The Psychology of Buckeye Boys State Vincent Patierno Editor-In-Chief
Upon arriving at Miami University on June 10, delegates may have taken note of the tones spoken across the acclaimed cities—and with regard to discourse—the essential lack thereof. Today, political institutions in Washington DC and state governments alike are notorious for their embodiment of divisive conduct. From commonly used terminology such as “side of the aisle,” to partisan splits found all around— Buckeye Boys State proves to remove itself when compared to the political arena at large. For those who lead the program—as well as the delegates that participate—welcoming and inclusivity were first on the agenda. Politics is generally understood by most as an institution grounded in public opinion and a constant game of persuasion by those who practice it. And today, with increasingly common themes of division and fickle nature—the greater body politic strives to make understanding as to where the groundswell of discourse originated—and where the nation directs to from here. Psychology, on the other hand, while noted for its deep analysis and study of the mind and its functions at large, a branch known as political psychology often moves to explore the cognitive underpinnings—or roots of thought—at the base of citizen and voter political action. Those same cognitive political bases are at the heart of educating in the program’s famous “week to shape a lifetime.” Aside from socially shared beliefs of groups that individuals are a part of, people often use what are known as mental models to apply their personal experience and knowledge to
Art courtesy of Carter Collins understand better their various roles in society. It’s that same mental structure that allows us to explore and understand the basis of individual discourse. Through any event or action, individuals form mental models. In settings such as Buckeye Boys State, young people are surrounded by new individuals, encouraged to interact and form new bonds. Thus, potentially leaving an everlasting imprint on future social political belief with respect to lessening discourse. What some social psychologists classify as “negative partisanship” has swarmed the political climate of America and while there was some partisanship practiced through the week, it was all in good fun. Cognitive psychology is a division of psychology that is often misunderstood due to the complexity of its contents—but in this regard says that forms of discourse generally derive from our general political representations, such as attitudes or ideology. While only cognitive theory is able to effectively explain and lay out the connections between social and personal interfaces per a