We are not as polarized as we think

A major international study on political polarization found that people across the world often exaggerate political differences and negative feelings of opposing political groups. Explaining the true feelings of the other side might help reducing these negative perceptions. UvA early-career researchers Bojana Veckalov and Sandra Geiger were part of this international collaboration of more than 80 researchers. In recent years, there is an expanding belief that political polarisation is growing in the US and around the world. Members from different political groups would have increasing negative perceptions of each other. A study by Harvard psychologists however found that members of political groups in the US significantly overestimated the negative perceptions they believed were held by people from other political groups. Presenting the true perceptions of opposing groups, would furthermore reduce these negative perceptions according to the study.