Psychology
Psychology commentary from Dr. Bart Rossi, PhD, a licensed psychologist who spent decades in clinical practice and led a group of more than 50 psychologists. These pieces focus on how people think, feel and behave when the news reaches into their lives: fear and anxiety, grief after public tragedies, stress, conformity, emotional intelligence and mental health.
Some stories here have no political angle at all, such as how people cope after a disaster or how children handle grief. Others look at the human side of the headlines, like why people echo the views of a group or how a pandemic changed the way we live.
Start here Why we echo the room in group chats · How to stay mindful after a tragedy · How teenagers deal with grief · Signs of bullying

“Don’t Believe Your Eyes, Believe Me”: The Psychology of Trump’s Supporters, From 2016 to 2026
For a decade, President Trump has asked supporters to trust him over the evidence, and most have. But broken promises on prices,…

Guilt by Association: Do Epstein, the Tate Brothers, and the Company a Leader Keeps Erode Trust?
President Trump’s past friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, his family’s ties to the Tate brothers and a long list of misconduct allegations have…

Two Americans Dead, Nine Months Later: How the Minneapolis Shootings Changed the Way Americans See ICE
In January, federal immigration agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in Minneapolis. Nine months later, no…

The Supreme Court Opens a New Term With Its Trust at a Low: Why Americans Judge the Court by Its Results
The Supreme Court began its new term on October 5 with only 43% of Americans approving of its work, even after ruling…

The Iran War and the American Psyche: Why a Faraway War Feels Like a Kitchen-Table Issue
Seven months into the Iran war, support has fallen to record lows. Few voters call it their top issue, yet most feel…

Taxpayer-Funded Ads, “A Very Small Price to Pay,” and a Promised “Big Surprise”: The Psychology of Trump’s Week
In one week, the president ran self-promoting ads on the public dime, said losing cities to Iran would be “a very small…

Data Centers, AI and the Electric Bill: How Fear of the Future Became a Midterm Issue
Two-thirds of Americans now say the rush to build data centers is not a good thing. Why a technology story became a…
Why We Echo the Room: New Research on Political Opinions in Group Chats
A new study finds people shift what they say about politics to match the lean of a group chat. What it reveals…

Trump Trial Psychology and Whether Trump Will Debate
This week on Power & Politics, Dr. Bart Rossi, PhD, analyzes the Trump Trial psychology and how it may have affected the…

What is Political Psychology?
Dr. Bart Rossi, PhD is a career psychologist who, over the past decade, has been a featured guest on many television, radio,…