Social Identity and Affective Polarization: Preference-Based or Belief-Based?
Dec 1, Wednesday, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm, on Zoom. The Zoom link is circulated separately via the BEE email list. Please fill the registration form to join our mailing list.
Presenter
Doctoral Student at the School of Information
Abstract
There has been increasing dislike and distrust between Republicans and Democrats in the US in recent years. This animosity between the two parties is defined as affective polarization. Social identity theory can account for this phenomenon, but it remains uncertain whether it is preference-based or belief-based. To identify the underlying mechanism of affective polarization, we conducted an experiment based on Joe Biden’s inauguration, an identity shifter, and compared people’s preferences, beliefs and the extent they display affective polarization before and after the inauguration. We find evidence of the existence of affective polarization: partisans like their co-partisans more, think co-partisans are more trustworthy and intelligent, and feel warmer towards co-partisans. However, there’s no significant evidence suggesting that the inauguration has an impact on people’s behavioral patterns.