People are more likely to discuss what they support than what they oppose

What is it about?

Many attitudes can be framed in terms of what a person supports (e.g., "I support allowing abortions") or what a person opposes ("I oppose banning abortions"). We find that individuals are more likely to discuss their attitudes with others when the attitudes are framed in terms of what they support, rather than what they oppose. This effect occurs because individuals believe that their support better represents who they are as a person, and that others will have a more positive impression of them if they discuss support (relative to opposition).

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Photo by Mimi Thian on Unsplash

Photo by Mimi Thian on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Political polarization is a growing problem globally. One commonly cited contributor to political polarization is echo-chambers: People are unlikely to engage with others who have differing political beliefs. Thus, understanding when people are more likely to share their attitudes and advocate is more important than ever. We identify a novel determinant of attitude sharing: whether attitudes are framed in terms of what an individual supports or opposes.