There are growing concerns that the animosity that exists between those on the left and right of the political spectrum prevents any meaningful cooperation between parties. Research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill explores how this partisan animosity can be reduced.
The researchers analyzed over 40 previous studies and found a number of potential strategies for reducing animosity, including improving dialogue skills, highlighting commonalities, and changing the public discourse.
“No single strategy is likely to reduce polarization for every audience and every issue, so our analysis points to ways we can take targeted approaches to address different groups and circumstances,” the researchers explain. “Reducing partisan animosity is surely a challenge, but this work shows that successful interventions can help partisans gain more accurate perceptions of each other and recognize the similarities they share.”
Reducing animosity
The researchers examined previous studies that both explored the nature of partisan animosity and also those that sought to diminish it. They believe that their efforts have given them a strong understanding of the kind of interventions that could be successful in reducing the animosity between ideologies.
Correcting things like misinformation is very much a systemic challenge, so is far from straightforward, but the researchers believe other interventions have far lower barriers to success. For instance, they found that both Republicans and Democrats can overestimate the extent to which they’re demonized by their opponent by up to 300%. Simply correcting these misperceptions can go a long way to reduce animosity.
“Most people fear talking about politics, so they either avoid these conversations or have them online, where they can caricature and mock those on the other side,” the authors explain. “Political moderates and those who are less polarized…are most likely to opt-out of uncomfortable political conversations.”
Changing discourse
If people could be prepared for more constructive engagement, however, then conversations are not only more enjoyable but also more productive, while also improving the perceptions people have of their political opponents.
“(I)n the current political climate, public discourse norms encourage hostility and animosity,” the authors continue. “On social media, where signaling outgroup dislike increases engagement, users are incentivized to increase antagonism, facilitate the spread of misinformation and stoke both tribalism and moral outrage.”
This hostile environment is reflected in the discussions within political institutions, which are often structured in such a way that conflict seems inevitable. For instance, the two-party system itself is often a source of partisan animosity, but the researchers nonetheless point to various changes that could be made to improve matters.
For instance, things like open primaries and ranked-choice voting could be used more frequently to try and improve the political climate and make it less hostile. There is also a key role to play for the news media to improve the political climate too.
“While a minority of Americans are very affectively polarized, most are not as polarized as many assume, nor are they strongly interested in politics,” they conclude. “If the media were to emphasize this lack of polarization, as some have, people may be motivated to conform to this descriptive norm of low partisan animosity.”
