Affective polarization and coalition signals

2023/09/07 by Markus Wagner, Katrin Praprotnik · 1 voice · 2 citations
Social Sciences · #Electoral Systems and Political Participation #Populism, Right-Wing Movements #Social Media and Politics

paper · pdf · doi:10.1017/psrm.2023.33

openalex publication_date 2023/09/07 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30

Abstract

Abstract Affective polarization between partisans is potentially troubling for liberal democracy. Hence, recent research has focused on how affective dislike between partisans can be reduced. Using a survey experiment in Austria, we test whether elite signals matter. Respondents exposed to fictional news stories implying that their in-party might form a coalition with an out-party show reduced dislike toward supporters of that out-party. Our experiment also shows that coalition signals can influence out-party affect even if neither of the two parties signaling cooperation are an in-party. We conclude that cooperation between rivals has an important role in reducing affective polarization.

Citations

• The Populist Zeitgeist
• Affect, Not Ideology
• Unpacking the Black Box of Causality: Learning about Causal Mechanisms from Experimental and Observational Studies
• The Radical Right as Niche Parties? The Ideological Landscape of Party Systems in Western Europe, 1980–2014
• Americans, Not Partisans: Can Priming American National Identity Reduce Affective Polarization?
• Electoral competition in Europe's new tripolar political space: Class voting for the left, centre‐right and radical right
• When Efforts to Depolarize the Electorate Fail
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• ‘Fear and loathing across party lines’ (also) in Europe: Affective polarisation in European party systems
• Party Competition and Cooperation Shape Affective Polarization: Evidence from Natural and Survey Experiments in Israel
• Niche Party Success and Mainstream Party Policy Shifts – How Green and Radical Right Parties Differ in Their Impact
• The Way we Were: How Histories of Co-Governance Alleviate Partisan Hostility
• Does affective polarisation increase turnout? Evidence from Germany, The Netherlands and Spain

Cited by

• Public perceptions of populist radical parties in government: inclusion without moderation?
• Mainstream partisans’ affective response to (non) cooperation with populist radical right parties

Discussions

• Kann Koalitionsbildung als Signal die affektive Polarisierung zw Wählergruppen verringern? Ja, vor allem, wenn die "eigene" Partei mit einer ideologisch weiter entfernten koaliert: Wagner & Praprotn [bsky, 7 points, 0 comments]

Related

• United in success, fragmented in failure: The moderating effect of perceived government performance on affective polarization between coalition partners
• The Origins and Consequences of Affective Polarization in the United States
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• The (alleged) consequences of affective polarization: A survey experiment in nine democracies