Amanda Friesen

Amanda Friesen is an Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Political Psychology (Tier 2) at the Faculty of Social Science, Western University. She holds a PhD from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and directs the Body Politics Lab. Her research integrates political psychology, behavior genetics, and psychophysiology to explore how social identities and individual dispositions interact with political contexts.

• University: Western University
• School: Faculty of Social Science
• Department: Department of Political Science
• Academic Rank: Associate Professor
• Director: Body Politics Lab
• Email: afries4@uwo.ca

Her work spans gender and politics, religion and politics, and physiological responses in political decision-making. She examines topics like objectification of women candidates, sexism in policy attitudes, and genetic/political orientation links. Articles highlight interdisciplinary methods combining life sciences with political analysis, including studies on taste perception and risk tolerance, pandemic trust, and constitutional amendments.

Recent publications focus on 2025 topics like religious tolerance, genetic policy influences, and gender mobilization, alongside 2023 pandemic-related studies. Earlier work (2022-2021) includes sexism in political attitudes, disgust responses, and genetic/political links. Her 2019-2017 research addresses generational change, erotic image arousal, and conscientious women’s civic involvement.

Scientific Awards:

• 2021 Honorable Mention, APSA Ted Jelen Best Journal Article in Politics & Religion
• 2021 Templeton World Charity Foundation Grand Challenges for Human Flourishing Project Finalist
• 2021 SSHRC Connection Grant
• 2020 Special Issue Funding, Politics and the Life Sciences
• 2019 Diverse Europe Theme Group Visiting Scholar
• 2019 Erasmus Mundus EuroCulture Faculty Exchange Scholarship
• 2018 APSA Best Conference Paper Award, Political Networks Section

She has collaborated on projects related to digital segregation, religious credibility, and caregiving tasks and disgust responses, often integrating experimental design and physiological markers into political analysis.