2026 David O. Sears: Political Science Researcher – H-Index, Publications & Awards

Discipline name	D-Index	World Ranking	Current World Ranking	National Ranking	Current National Ranking	Publications	Citations
Political Science	61	104	92	62	52	173	26688

Research.com Recognitions

2023 - Research.com Political Science in United States Leader Award
1991 - Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
1988 - Fellow of John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation

Overview

David O. Sears is affiliated with the University of California, Los Angeles in the United States. Their research spans multiple aspects of social sciences, with a concentration on political behavior and social psychology. The scientist's work has been published in various academic venues and explores themes related to social and intergroup psychology, electoral systems, social policy, migration, and cultural values.

Key recent publications by David O. Sears include:

"Strange Bedfellows: The Alliance Theory of Political Belief Systems" (2023), Psychological Inquiry
"When an irresistible prejudice meets immovable politics: Black legal gun ownership undermines racially resentful White Americans' gun rights advocacy." (2022), Journal of Experimental Psychology General
"Symbolic politics and self-interest in post-Affordable Care Act health Insurance coverage" (2020), Research & Politics
"The Facilitator Model: Investigating a Novel Dual Credit Experience for Open-Ended Design Coursework" (2022), Journal for STEM Education Research
"The Heaviest Drop of Blood: Black Exceptionalism Among Multiracials" (2022), Political Psychology

Frequent co-authors contributing to collaborative research with this scientist include:

Christia Spears Brown
David Pinsof
Martie G. Haselton
Tyler Reny
Leonie Huddy

Their work has appeared multiple times in these key publication venues:

Psychological Inquiry
Journal of Experimental Psychology General
Research & Politics
Journal for STEM Education Research
PubMed

David O. Sears has contributed extensively to the broad field of social sciences, with a specialization reflecting in these subfields:

Sociology and Political Science
Political Science and International Relations
Social Psychology
Health
Insect Science

The scientist's research topics cover a range of subjects involving social dynamics and political behavior, including:

Social and Intergroup Psychology
Social Policy and Reform Studies
Electoral Systems and Political Participation
Migration, Refugees, and Integration
Youth Education and Societal Dynamics
Populism, Right-Wing Movements
Cultural Differences and Values

David O. Sears has been recognized by notable awards over their career, including Fellowships from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1991 and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation in 1988.

Best Publications

Prejudice and politics: Symbolic racism versus racial threats to the good life.

Donald R. Kinder;David O. Sears

2954
Citations
College sophomores in the laboratory: Influences of a narrow data base on social psychology's view of human nature.

David O. Sears

2907
Citations
Self-Interest vs. Symbolic Politics in Policy Attitudes and Presidential Voting

David O. Sears;Richard R. Lau;Tom R. Tyler;Harris M. Allen

1383
Citations
The Symbolic Racism 2000 Scale

P.J. Henry;David O. Sears

1237
Citations
SELECTIVE EXPOSURE TO INFORMATION: A CRITICAL REVIEW

David O. Sears;Jonathan L. Freedman

1054
Citations
Tax Revolt: Something for Nothing in California

David O. Sears;Jack Citrin

1052
Citations
The Oxford handbook of political psychology

Leonie Huddy;David O. Sears;Jack S. Levy

961
Citations
The origins of symbolic racism.

David O. Sears;P. J. Henry

905
Citations
The Role of Self-Interest in Social and Political Attitudes

David O. Sears;Carolyn L. Funk

844
Citations
Whites' Opposition to “Busing”: Self-interest or Symbolic Politics?*

David O. Sears;Carl P. Hensler;Leslie K. Speer

809
Citations
Evidence of the Long-Term Persistence of Adults' Political Predispositions

David O. Sears;Carolyn L. Funk

756
Citations
The person-positivity bias.

David O. Sears

709
Citations
Is It Really Racism?: The Origins of White Americans' Opposition to Race-Targeted Policies

David O. Sears;Colette Van Laar;Mary Carrillo;Rick Kosterman

663
Citations
Symbolic Racism

Unknown

653
Citations
Obama's Race: The 2008 Election and the Dream of a Post-Racial America

Michael Tesler;David O. Sears

647
Citations
Politics Matters: Political Events as Catalysts for Preadult Socialization

David O. Sears;Nicholas A. Valentino

635
Citations
Symbolic politics: A socio-psychological theory.

David O. Sears

566
Citations
Childhood and Adult Political Development

David O. Sears;Christia Brown

553
Citations
Over thirty years later: A contemporary look at symbolic racism.

David O. Sears;P.J. Henry

552
Citations
Racialized politics : the debate about racism in America

David O. Sears;Jim Sidanius;Lawrence Bobo

536
Citations
Old Times There Are Not Forgotten: Race and Partisan Realignment in the Contemporary South

Nicholas A. Valentino;David O. Sears

443
Citations
Examinations of Core Concepts and Processes Is It Really Racism?: The Origins of White American Opposition to Race-Targeted Policies

David O. Sears;Colette Van Laar;Mary Carrillo;Rick Kosterman

422
Citations
The Conceptualization and Measurement of Symbolic Racism

Christopher Tarman;David O. Sears

350
Citations
Campaigning for Hearts and Minds: How Emotional Appeals in Political Ads Work

David O. Sears

111
Citations
Is It Really Racism? The Origins of White Americans' Opposition to Race-Targeted Policies

David O. Sears;Colette van Laar;Mary Carillo;Rick Kosterman

1
Citations

Frequent Co-Authors

Jack Citrin University of California, Berkeley

Richard R. Lau Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Nicholas A. Valentino University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

Colette van Laar KU Leuven

Donald P. Green Columbia University

Donald R. Kinder University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

Leonie Huddy Stony Brook University

Jim Sidanius Harvard University

Tom R. Tyler Yale University

Danny Osborne University of Auckland

External Links

Wikipedia of David O. Sears Personal website of David O. Sears

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