Generic statements widen the divide between political parties

Using generic terms in politics may be exacerbating political division, a new study suggests. Statements such as "Democrats want to have tougher gun laws” and "Republicans want to ban abortion,” can heighten perceived differences between the two political parties, the study says. Researchers at the University of Michigan, Columbia University and Stony Brook University studied political polarization due to individuals making broad generalizations about certain groups based on inconsistent evidence. In three studies with 1,767 adults, they measured the interpretation, endorsement and recall of statements, also known as generics. The findings appear in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In one survey, people were asked if they agreed with a series of generic statements about Democrats and Republicans. The findings indicate that even when people believe that Republicans and Democrats differ only weakly in their endorsement of a policy, they still accept and reject generic claims that place Republicans and Democrats into opposite categories.