Examining how people want their democratic government to work, this study finds that Americans don't like many of the practices associated with democracy: the conflicts, the debates, the compromises. It finds that Americans don't want to have to see democracy in practice, nor do they want to be involved in politics. If American citizens had their way, political decisions would be made by unselfish decision-makers, lessening the need for monitoring government.

Leading scholars in political psychology discuss and debate major issues facing the field of political psychology. They define the boundaries of the field, debate its relevance, consider whether the field is too methodologically individualistic, and whether it can help scholars to understand collective public opinion.