Record Details


Field	Value

Title	Replication data for: Fear and Loathing Across Party Lines: New Evidence on Group Polarization

Identifier	https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/26662

Creator	Westwood, Sean Iyengar, Shanto

Publisher	Harvard Dataverse

Description	When defined in terms of social identity and affect toward co-partisans and opposing partisans, the polarization of the American electorate has dramatically increased. We document the scope and consequences of affective polarization of partisans using implicit, explicit and behavioral indicators. Our evidence demonstrates that hostile feelings for the opposing party are ingrained or automatic in voters' minds, and that affective polarization based on party is just as strong as polarization based on race. We further show that party cues exert powerful effects on non-political judgments and behaviors. Partisans discriminate against opposing partisans, and do so to a degree that exceeds discrimination based on race. We note that the willingness of partisans to display open animus for opposing partisans can be attributed to the absence of norms governing the expression of negative sentiment and that increased partisan affect provides an incentive for elites to engage in confrontation rather than cooperation.

Subject	Social Sciences Partisan Affect Polarization

Contributor	Sean Westwood

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