New study: Political animosity is global

A groundbreaking study conducted by an international team of researchers from six different countries has revealed that affective polarization, which refers to the tendency to dislike individuals who belong to opposing political parties while favoring those from one’s own party, is not solely an American phenomenon but a global bias. The research also indicates that this dislike intensifies when two people share a similar way of thinking about political issues but arrive at different conclusions. The findings of this research have been published in the respected journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

For example, consider two individuals from different political parties who both believe that tax policy and trade should be treated as interconnected. The researchers discovered that these individuals, despite sharing a cognitive framework for political issues, experience the highest levels of affective polarization if they reach different conclusions. This suggests that when people from opposing political groups share a similar way of thinking about issues, it signals competition within the political system and intensifies negative attitudes towards each other.

“Imagine how frustrating it is to interact with someone who appears to have a similar thought process and logic as you do, yet arrives at opposite conclusions,” explained Mark Brandt, an associate professor of psychology at Michigan State University and a renowned researcher in social psychology. “We believe that sharing a cognitive framework with a political outgroup is likely an indication that they are competitors within the political landscape.”

This study, led by Felicity Turner-Zwinkels, a social psychologist from Tilburg University’s Department of Sociology, aimed to investigate the underlying factors contributing to affective polarization. The findings suggest that dislike towards political outgroups increases as we increasingly disagree with their beliefs, and these results are consistent across various countries.

“This study is significant because it extends the examination of affective polarization, a heavily discussed and researched topic in the United States, to a global scale. It demonstrates that this phenomenon is not limited to America but exists worldwide,” emphasized Brandt. “People should be concerned about these findings as they provide a better understanding of human interactions within the realm of politics.”

“Why do we harbor such strong dislike towards each other, even when we approach an issue similarly? This research helps answer that question,” said Brandt. “It reveals that these feelings are widespread, debunking the notion that Americans are uniquely entrenched in their political divisions.”

The study suggests two potential interventions, although they were not directly tested. One is to emphasize shared opinions across political groups, as this could mitigate affective polarization. The other is to encourage individuals to contemplate political issues and their interconnectedness in new and unique ways.