Fabian Guy Neuner
@fabianneuner.bsky.social
1.1K followers 500 following 52 posts
Associate Professor in the School of Politics and Global Studies at ASU. Political Psychologist.
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fabianneuner.bsky.social
New preregistered report @jepsjournal.bsky.social

"Thin" populism treatments manipulate perceptions of people-centrism + anti-elitism

But: some treatments (e.g., "American people") affect perceptions of host ideology, complicating causal analyses of impact of populist rhetoric

cup.org/4n3DvZm
Abstract for paper: Scholars increasingly conceptualize populism by whether politicians use people-centric
and anti-elite appeals that pit a homogeneous people against a corrupt elite. These appeals
reflect “thin” ideology because they offer no programmatic content and thus politicians
must pair these appeals with more substantive positions, termed their “host” (or thick)
ideology, which often consists of nativism on the right (e.g., espousing anti-immigrant
positions) and socialism on the left (e.g., prioritizing redistribution). An emerging
literature has thus sought to estimate whether populists garner support due to their thin
ideology or their substantive host ideology. To date, no research has validated whether
populism treatments (1) truly operationalize populist thin ideology, and (2) do so without
manipulating host ideology. Results from three conjoint validation experiments fielded in
both the United States and the United Kingdom show that thin ideology treatments
successfully manipulate the underlying concepts but caution that some operationalizations
also affect perceptions of host ideology. Shows that thin populism treatments shift perceptions of people-centrism and anti-elitism as expected Shows that thin populism treatments can also affect perceptions of host ideology. In particular, using treatments such as "American people" affects perceptions of a candidate's position on immigration Shows suggestive evidence that people are less likely to use populist thin ideology appeals as heuristics for inferring host ideology when partisan information is included
Reposted by Fabian Guy Neuner
polpsyispp.bsky.social
Call for Nominations!
The ISPP is seeking nominations for several leadership roles, including President-Elect, Vice President for Communications and Publications, and five members of the Governing Council (serving July 2026–July 2029).
ISPP Constitution - ISPP
CONSTITUTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY (Ratified, July 16, 2020; Bylaws updated July 2, 2025) Please click HERE to view the current ISPP Constitution and Bylaws.
loom.ly
Reposted by Fabian Guy Neuner
elizabethbitmeehan.com
Key items for #polisky:

(1) due November 12, 2025

(2) ONLY undergrad seniors, bachelor's not in grad programs, OR 1st-year grad students eligible (whether in a master's or PhD program)

(3) fund all projects but emphasis on "high-priority research areas in alignment with Admin priorities" like AI
dangaristo.bsky.social
New: After a long wait, the GRFP solicitation is live! Deadlines have been extended to early November, so applicants have a bit over a month to submit. www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
www.nsf.gov
fabianneuner.bsky.social
Thanks for sharing, Drew. This is going straight into my lecture slides.
Reposted by Fabian Guy Neuner
vincentab.bsky.social
Whoa—my book is up for pre-order!

𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭 & 𝐌𝐋 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐧 #Rstats 𝐚𝐧𝐝 #PyData

The book presents an ultra-simple and powerful workflow to make sense of ± any model you fit

The web version will stay free forever and my proceeds go to charity.

tinyurl.com/4fk56fc8
Reposted by Fabian Guy Neuner
rrresrobot.bsky.social
Germany and the US: F. G. Neuner, Z. Kirill, C. S. Bruno, et al. “Comparing Revealed and Expressed Populism: The Case of Voting For The 'Alternative Für Deutschland' and 'Die Linke'”. In: German Politics online first (2025), pp. 1-23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09644008.2025.2483225.
fabianneuner.bsky.social
Thanks, Drew! I was hoping the paper could be useful for thinking through information equivalence/masking concerns in conjoint experiments (and other designs) more broadly.
fabianneuner.bsky.social
Also came here to say there's a non-zero chance of this.
Reposted by Fabian Guy Neuner
rlarochelle.bsky.social
I'm not at APSA, but I will still be buying too many books because a bunch of great presses are running conference sales. I'll try to collect them all below. Feel free to add more. And self-promote if your book is on sale!!
fabianneuner.bsky.social
Thanks Markus. Hope you find it helpful - I cite your paper as a good example of treatment/stimulus sampling.
fabianneuner.bsky.social
Broader point: Conjoint experiments usually do not include manipulation checks. But due to information equivalency/masking concerns it is still important to validate that (1) treatments manipulate construct of interest, without (2) also manipulating other constructs.
fabianneuner.bsky.social
Implications for study of populism: it is difficult - even in conjoint experiments - to disentangle effects of (thin) populism and host ideology

Additional finding: respondents are less likely to use thin ideology appeals to make inferences about host ideology when partisan labels are provided
fabianneuner.bsky.social
New preregistered report @jepsjournal.bsky.social

"Thin" populism treatments manipulate perceptions of people-centrism + anti-elitism

But: some treatments (e.g., "American people") affect perceptions of host ideology, complicating causal analyses of impact of populist rhetoric

cup.org/4n3DvZm
Abstract for paper: Scholars increasingly conceptualize populism by whether politicians use people-centric
and anti-elite appeals that pit a homogeneous people against a corrupt elite. These appeals
reflect “thin” ideology because they offer no programmatic content and thus politicians
must pair these appeals with more substantive positions, termed their “host” (or thick)
ideology, which often consists of nativism on the right (e.g., espousing anti-immigrant
positions) and socialism on the left (e.g., prioritizing redistribution). An emerging
literature has thus sought to estimate whether populists garner support due to their thin
ideology or their substantive host ideology. To date, no research has validated whether
populism treatments (1) truly operationalize populist thin ideology, and (2) do so without
manipulating host ideology. Results from three conjoint validation experiments fielded in
both the United States and the United Kingdom show that thin ideology treatments
successfully manipulate the underlying concepts but caution that some operationalizations
also affect perceptions of host ideology. Shows that thin populism treatments shift perceptions of people-centrism and anti-elitism as expected Shows that thin populism treatments can also affect perceptions of host ideology. In particular, using treatments such as "American people" affects perceptions of a candidate's position on immigration Shows suggestive evidence that people are less likely to use populist thin ideology appeals as heuristics for inferring host ideology when partisan information is included
Reposted by Fabian Guy Neuner
fabianneuner.bsky.social
Ask re #APSA2025: The political psychology division has a number of panels that need additional discussants. If you're attending APSA and are willing to serve in such roles please get in touch with @carlynwayne.bsky.social and I. See screenshot for panels. Thanks in advance!
Mental Health and Trauma in Politics: Causes and Consequences
Thu, September 11, 12:00 to 1:30pm PDT 
Democracy in Distress: Psychological Perspectives on Anti-Democratic Sentiment
Fri, September 12, 12:00 to 1:30pm PDT
Understanding and Correcting Misperceptions
Sat, September 13, 8:00 to 9:30am PDT
Identity Politics: Measurement, Drivers, and Consequences
Sun, September 14, 8:00 to 9:30am PDT
fabianneuner.bsky.social
Ask re #APSA2025: The political psychology division has a number of panels that need additional discussants. If you're attending APSA and are willing to serve in such roles please get in touch with @carlynwayne.bsky.social and I. See screenshot for panels. Thanks in advance!
Mental Health and Trauma in Politics: Causes and Consequences
Thu, September 11, 12:00 to 1:30pm PDT 
Democracy in Distress: Psychological Perspectives on Anti-Democratic Sentiment
Fri, September 12, 12:00 to 1:30pm PDT
Understanding and Correcting Misperceptions
Sat, September 13, 8:00 to 9:30am PDT
Identity Politics: Measurement, Drivers, and Consequences
Sun, September 14, 8:00 to 9:30am PDT
Reposted by Fabian Guy Neuner
experimentsapsa.bsky.social
There's a new issue of the section newsletter out! This one's on sample considerations in experiments: professional survey-takers, LLM usage, rural contexts, and more!

connect.apsanet.org/s42/newslett...
screenshot of the top of the first page of the fall 2025 experiments section newsletter
Reposted by Fabian Guy Neuner
williamlallen.bsky.social
Less than two weeks left to apply for this mentoring opportunity #polisky #polcom
williamlallen.bsky.social
Are you an early- to mid-career political scientist looking for personalized mentoring? The @mpsa.bsky.social 2025-26 mentoring scheme is open, with 70+ colleagues from around the world (including me) providing career & professional guidance. Details: www.mpsanet.org/mpsa-mentori... #polisky #polcom
MPSA Mentoring Programs - Midwest Political Science Association
www.mpsanet.org
Reposted by Fabian Guy Neuner
landgravephd.bsky.social
The schedule for the Barney Ford Lab at CU Boulder's Annual Meeting (hosted with @priec.bsky.social) is up. Join us Friday September 19th for a day worth of REP research, the Rockies, & Bowling. Nearly 100 RSVPed guests. #PRIEC #BoulderPRIEC #SkoBuffs

www.colorado.edu/lab/civics/a...
two vases are standing next to each other in a cave .
ALT: two vases are standing next to each other in a cave .
media.tenor.com