Kelly Swanson

Advisor: Chris Crandall, Ph.D.
Lab: Crandall Research Lab

My research contributes to theories of political ideology, gender, prejudice, and group dynamics, centering on how they relate to pressing social issues. I am particularly interested in how people form, maintain, and challenge norms related to extremist ideologies, policy and law, human rights, gender equality, and reproductive autonomy.

My current work explores how social identity and ideological commitment influence civil and human rights support, focusing on when and why people will justify restricting certain freedoms. I examine psychological mechanisms such as extreme partisanship, sexist beliefs, perceived threat, and affective polarization, and how they shape political attitudes (e.g., reproductive freedom, gun ownership, due process) and reinforce partisan outgroup animosity.