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25 - Fear and Loathing in American Politics

A Review of Affective Polarisation

from Part III - Contemporary Challenges to Democracy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 February 2022

By
Shanto Iyengar
Edited by
Danny Osborne  and
Chris G. Sibley
Danny Osborne
Affiliation:
University of Auckland
Chris G. Sibley
Affiliation:
University of Auckland
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Summary

While most research on party polarisation previously focused on the ideological extremity of party positions, in recent years a new form of polarisation has emerged in the American electorate. Ordinary Americans increasingly dislike and fear those from the other party. This phenomenon of animosity across the party divide is known as affective polarisation.I summarise the evidence bearing on the extent of affective polarisation in the United States, trace its origins to the power of partisanship as a social identity, and identify the psychological mechanisms that contribute to heightened out-party animus.In closing, I consider the implications of heightened partisan animus for the democratic process.

Keywords

Social identityPartisan affectParty sortingOpinion leadershipNetwork homophily
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Political Psychology , pp. 399 - 413
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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