I use survey, experimental, and interpretive methods to study people's opinions about political issues. I am particularly interested in how social contexts and psychological attachments shape people's feelings, perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes.
These substantive and methodological interests have led me to undertake a wide range of research projects concerning American and comparative politics. Though my primary research agenda, stemming from my dissertation work, investigates how attitudes about gender influence downstream political beliefs and engagement, I use my methodological toolkit to examine public opinion and political behavior in a variety of contexts. I am engaged in other projects that examine attitudes towards U.S. military bases overseas, attributions of blame in the wake of public health crises, and questions of trust in public institutions, among other topics.
In addition, I engage in research concerning electoral politics. I have published, and continue to work on, research spanning a variety of topics in electoral politics, from changing party system dynamics during the Civil War era to the voting patterns of religious Americans. At present, I am engaged in projects relating to the impact of information treatments on voter turnout and choice, the attitudinal effects of different types of scandals throughout campaigns, the role of affective polarization in personalistic electoral systems, and the effects of gender stereotypes on candidate favorability.
My research significantly informs my teaching approach. I apply the knowledge and insights gained from my research projects to enhance the quality of my teaching. I'm committed to not only employing rigorous and innovative methods in my research but also imparting these methods to my students through substantive courses and collaborative research experiences.
PUBLICATIONS:
Jensen, Alexander, Madeline Mader, Srinivas C. Parinandi, Anand E. Sokhey, and Michael Byrd. 2023. “Federal Slavery Legislation and Voting in U.S. Gubernatorial Elections, 1840-1860.” Journal of Historical Political Economy 3(2): 161-178.
Gilbert, Christopher P., Joseph M. Cella, and Alexander L. Jensen. 2017. “Minnesota: The Resurgence of Evangelical Political Strength in 2016.” in God at the Grassroots 2016: The Christian Right in American Politics. eds. Mark Rozell and Clyde Wilcox. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield.
WORKING PAPERS:
“Toxic Masculinity’ and Public Opinion"
“How Americans Conceptualize ‘Toxic Masculinity'”
"The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend: Threat Perception, Crime, and Support for U.S. Military Bases Abroad" (with Myunghee Lee and Charmaine Willis)
"Who Do People Blame for a COVID-19 Death? Agency, Individuals, Institutions, and Policy Satisfaction" (with Thomas Dolan, Kelsey Larsen, and Kenicia Wright)
"Understanding Public Reactions to Political Scandals: Results from a Series of Experiments" (with Anand Edward Sokhey)
"Leader and Party Affective Polarization in Brazil" (with Gustavo Venturelli and Julian Borba)