{"id":2359,"date":"2024-01-25T12:18:41","date_gmt":"2024-01-25T12:18:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/?p=2359"},"modified":"2025-03-13T12:17:40","modified_gmt":"2025-03-13T12:17:40","slug":"distorted-lens-how-perceptions-of-other-side-drive-toxic-polarization","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2024\/01\/25\/distorted-lens-how-perceptions-of-other-side-drive-toxic-polarization\/","title":{"rendered":"Through a Distorted Lens: How Perceptions of the “Other Side” Drive Toxic Division"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019ve delved into <\/span>the nature of toxic polarization<\/span><\/a> and how that problem is due to the high level of contempt many of us have for people on the \u201cother side.\u201d <\/span>But what lies at the heart of that contempt?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In America and other highly polarized countries, much of this contempt is based on <\/span>distorted and overly pessimistic views<\/span><\/i>. We think we understand the people on the \u201cother side,\u201d but we\u2019re often wrong about them. How do we recognize when our perceptions of people we disagree with are way off base?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Misperceptions are real<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

The first step for making any change, personal or societal, is to be able to recognize and define the problem. So, are<\/i> we seeing each other through distorted lenses?<\/p>\n

Research shows that many Americans have large \u201cperception gaps\u201d: big differences between what they think their political opponents believe and what those people believe. <\/span>A study by More In Common<\/span><\/a> found that \u201cAmericans have a deeply distorted understanding of each other\u201d and that \u201cDemocrats and Republicans imagine almost twice as many of their political opponents as reality hold views they consider \u2018extreme.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Another study in 2021<\/span><\/a> highlighted additional perception gaps, finding that, \u201cSpecifically on culture-war issues, partisans are likely to believe a caricatured version of the opposing side\u2019s attitudes.\u201d These misconceptions have \u201chardened into enduring stereotypes: liberal snowflakes and free-speech police, conservative racists and \u2018deplorables.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A surprising misperception is that people overestimate how much contempt the \u201cother side\u201d has for them. <\/span>A 2020 study<\/span><\/a> found that \u201cDemocrats and Republicans equally dislike and dehumanize each other but think that the levels of prejudice and dehumanization held by the [other side] are approximately twice as strong\u201d as is the case. And when we think the \u201cother side\u201d hates us a lot, we\u2019ll find ourselves acting more insultingly and aggressively towards them in return.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

None of this is to deny that America has real and serious divides. But our distorted perceptions amplify the <\/span>toxicity<\/i><\/b> of our divides. This can lead to a spiral of contempt and aggression that makes people less willing to listen to the \u201cother side\u201d or compromise with them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A mosaic, not a monolith <\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

When we identify with a group (like Democrats or Republicans), we tend to see the \u201cother side\u201d as all the same \u2014 as a monolithic group \u2014 while we see our group as varied and complex. In psychology research, this is known as the \u201c<\/span>out-group homogeneity effect<\/span><\/a>.\u201d And this is basically how stereotypes work \u2014 we see people who are different from us as simplistic caricatures.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This helps explain why we often have such pessimistic views of our political opponents. We not only focus on the more extreme and unreasonable people on the \u201cother side\u201d \u2014 we think all or most of the people in the other group <\/span>are like those people<\/span><\/i>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Media plays a role here, too, by focusing on our political divisions and giving <\/span>more airtime to more extreme, polarizing figures<\/span><\/a>. Compounding that, the partisan bias of journalists and pundits can lead to overly pessimistic portrayals of people on the \u201cother side,\u201d which, of course, feeds <\/span>an increase in animosity<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019re not as different as we think<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

We don\u2019t just overestimate the extremity of people on the \u201cother side.\u201d We often have distorted views of the <\/span>reasons<\/span><\/i> for even their more moderate beliefs. We\u2019re prone to reaching for pessimistic explanations when more banal and well-meaning ones will often suffice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A 2018 study<\/span><\/a> described many Americans as \u201cbaffled by what motivates their opponents\u201d and found that, for most Americans, taking the perspectives of the \u201cother side\u201d was very difficult. In our confusion, it\u2019s easy to imagine the worst \u2014 and easy to miss what we have in common.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In psychology research, <\/span>false polarization<\/span><\/i> refers to people perceiving more polarization than there is \u2014 and <\/span>research shows<\/span><\/a> this is true for us. This isn\u2019t surprising: when our views of each other are distorted, our views of our divides will be, too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Research shows Americans\u2019 values are a lot more aligned than is perceived. For example, <\/span>a 2023 Starts With Us study<\/span><\/a> found significant alignment on core moral values, despite many people thinking the \u201cother side\u201d doesn\u2019t share those values.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Research<\/span><\/a> shows<\/span><\/a> that a large majority of Republicans and Democrats express strong support for democratic principles \u2014 but has also found that fears of the \u201cother side\u201d can make people condone undemocratic actions. Correcting our distorted views is important because, as researcher Alia Braley said, \u201cYou can increase people\u2019s willingness to adhere to democratic norms by lowering their fear of the other side.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another source of pessimism stems from concerns about political violence. There\u2019s a widespread perception that a significant number of Americans, on the right and the left, support political violence. Some estimates have put this as high as 40%! But other work shows that such support is likely much lower. <\/span>A 2022 study<\/span><\/a> found that such estimates <\/span>may be overstated by a factor of six<\/span><\/i>. <\/span>A 2024 paper<\/span><\/a> found this number was likely about 3% (still a concern, but much less concerning than 40%).<\/span><\/p>\n

On the left, many believe that support for Trump is largely explained by racism, fears of white people losing status, and the like. But this framing has been criticized in various ways. For example, the 2018 paper <\/span>\u201cRace and the Race for the White House\u201d<\/span><\/a> examined how liberal bias among academics has resulted in overly pessimistic explanations of what motivates Trump voters. (People interested in understanding Trump voter motivations might also like Brian Rees\u2019s book, <\/span>How Reasonable Americans Could Support Trump<\/span><\/i><\/a>.)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On the Republican side, Trump has amplified overly pessimistic views about Democrats\u2019 beliefs and motivations. For example, let\u2019s look at some statements from emails sent in 2020 by Trump\u2019s team (source: <\/span>Defusing American Anger<\/span><\/i><\/a>):<\/span><\/p>\n