Personality and Political Elites

In the midst of the current crisis of public distrust in politicians, this panel explores the types of personalities that thrive in a political career. Do these politicians align more closely with Aristotle's ideal of the virtuous leader—characterized by temperance, humility, and kindness—or do they mirror Machiavelli’s pragmatic politician, willing to employ force, deception, and strategic violence? We invite papers that examine the personality traits of politicians, as well as studies that investigate the psychological foundations of political ambition and electoral success at various stages of a political career—from the initial aspirations of citizen-politicians to the advanced ambitions and successes of top politicians. Additionally, we encourage contributions that explore how to measure the personality traits of political elites. While much existing research relies on self-reported data, there are alternative methods, such as coding traits from a distance or utilizing recent advancements in AI. Finally, we are also interested in exploring which personality traits citizens find desirable in their political leaders. Contributions from all global regions are welcome.