Karyn Amira earned her Ph.D. in Political Science from Stony Brook University in 2015. She also holds an M.A. from Stony Brook University and a B.A. in Political Science from Union College. Her research interests are in American Politics and Political Psychology with specializations in ideology, public opinion, media influence, political behavior and experimental methodology. She teaches courses in Media and Politics, Political Psychology, Research Methods, and Political Parties. Dr. Amira is originally from Boston, Massachusetts.
We were able to sit down with Dr. Amira and ask her some questions about her career, research interests, and hobbies.
Why did you decide to pursue a Ph.D. and become a professor?
There are two reasons. First, I was a political science major and psychology minor in undergrad and found social psychology fascinating. I wanted to see how I could apply social psychology to political science. The second reason was the 2008 election. I was working in marketing in New York City and started reading about the psychology behind the campaign tactics that were taking place. Then I began to develop lectures in my mind on this topic. It was pretty clear at that point that I needed to become a professor.
What are your areas of research?
Generally speaking political psychology/political behavior and American politics.
Within the realm of political psychology, I am particularly interested how we develop our ideologies (i.e. our political worldviews such as liberalism, conservatism, libertarianism, etc.). I am also interested in how we perceive the ideological strength of others. For example, why do some people view President Obama as an extreme liberal whereas others might view him as a moderate? Political cognition, or the cognitive processes behind perceptions, is a research interest as well. I also study voter turnout – in particular I want to know how we can convince more people to vote and what different types of strategies we can employ.
In the realm of American politics, I focus on the ideological polarization of the public and affective polarization.
What advice would you give our political science majors who are thinking about pursuing a Ph.D. or going to graduate school?
Deciding to pursue a Ph.D. is a big decision and should be thought through thoroughly. My advice is to research what you can do with a M.A. versus a Ph.D. There is a big difference and it’s important to know what career options each one can lead to. If you want to do quantitative research, you should try to get some exposure to research process and develop a familiarity with basic statistics. Talk to as many professors as you can. They can offer great insight and may know which schools are good fits for your interests. Finally, ask yourself, “Could I be happy doing anything besides this?” if the answer is yes, you may not want to pursue a Ph.D. Make certain you are 100% sure before applying!
What type of reading material would you recommend for our undergraduate students?
If you want to learn amazing things about how the human mind works, read Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking Fast and Slow. If you are interested in election strategy, read Victory Lab: The Secret Science of Winning Campaigns by Sasha Issenberg. I also recommend the blog The Monkey Cage (themonkeycage.org) for updates on political research from many fields.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I love live music and the outdoors. I’m looking forward to hiking the Lowcountry and kayaking. I also enjoy traveling. I have studied abroad in Vietnam and have been to Southeast Asia, Central America, and Europe.