David B. Sears

David B. Sears is an influential American social scientist renowned for his pioneering research in political psychology and the study of public opinion. His work has profoundly shaped the understanding of how symbolic politics, racial attitudes, and early political socialization influence mass political behavior. A long-time professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, his theoretical frameworks and empirical studies are foundational texts in the interdisciplinary study of politics and psychology.

Early life and education

Details regarding his early upbringing are not widely documented in public sources. He pursued his undergraduate education at the University of Michigan, a major public research institution known for its contributions to the social sciences. For his graduate studies, he attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned his Ph.D. in psychology. His doctoral work at UC Berkeley laid the groundwork for his lifelong interest in the intersection of psychological processes and political behavior.

Career and research

Sears joined the faculty at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he spent the majority of his academic career, holding appointments in both the Department of Psychology and the Department of Political Science. His research program has been central to the development of political psychology as a distinct field. He is best known for formulating the theory of symbolic politics, which argues that long-standing predispositions like party identification and racial prejudice often shape responses to contemporary political issues more than immediate self-interest. A significant portion of his empirical work has focused on the dynamics of racial attitudes in American politics, examining phenomena such as symbolic racism and the political impact of events like the Watts riots. His scholarship often employs sophisticated survey methodology and experimental design to test hypotheses about political ideology, generational change, and the persistence of prejudice. He has also made substantial contributions to the study of political socialization, investigating how core political orientations form during late adolescence.

Awards and honors

In recognition of his scholarly impact, Sears has received numerous prestigious awards from leading professional associations. The American Political Science Association honored him with the Philip E. Converse Award, which recognizes an outstanding book in the field of public opinion. He is also a recipient of the Nevitt Sanford Award from the International Society of Political Psychology, awarded for distinguished scientific contribution to the field. Furthermore, his seminal articles have been recognized with the Lasswell Award for career contributions to political psychology. His election as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences underscores the broad significance of his interdisciplinary work.

Selected publications

Sears is the author and editor of several key books that are standard references in political science and psychology. His influential works include *Public Opinion*, a core textbook co-authored with Robert E. Lane, and *Racialized Politics: The Debate about Racism in America*, co-edited with Jim Sidanius. Other notable publications are *The Politics of Violence: The New Urban Blacks and the Watts Riot*, which analyzed the political aftermath of the 1965 Los Angeles unrest, and *Oxford Handbook of Political Psychology*, a comprehensive volume co-edited with Leonie Huddy and Jack Levy. His extensive article output appears in top journals such as the American Political Science Review, the American Journal of Political Science, and the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Personal life

He maintains a private personal life, with limited public information available about his family or activities outside of academia. Residing in Los Angeles, he has been an active member of the intellectual community at UCLA for decades, mentoring generations of graduate students who have gone on to prominent academic careers themselves. His legacy extends through the continued application and development of his theoretical models by scholars across the social sciences.

Category:American political scientists Category:American psychologists Category:University of California, Los Angeles faculty Category:University of Michigan alumni Category:University of California, Berkeley alumni