Political differences between Democrats and Republicans have increased, but many observers conclude that these differences are not large enough to explain the partisan vitriol that characterizes American politics today. To explain this gap, they suggest that polarization has an affective, or emotional, rather than a cognitive, or reasoned, basis. Although plausible, this account has been too rapidly and uncritically accepted despite major research questions that have not been addressed.
Takeaways
- Public opinion findings suggest that political conflict is more intense than can be explained by partisan differences in ideologies and positions on the issues. (See previous essay in the series.)
- Some observers suggest that partisan acrimony can be described as affective, or based on emotion rather than on vast ideological differences.
- Despite the weaknesses outlined in this essay, the notion of “affective polarization” has been adopted more quickly and less critically than is scientifically justified.
