Solution spillover: Pairing issues with ideological solutions fuels political polarization

What is it about?

Issue salience polarization, in which people with differing political ideologies disagree about the relative importance and urgency of issues, is dangerous as it can undermine collective problem-solving, deepen societal divides, and obstruct effective governance. Yet, the emergence of issue salience polarization, especially regarding seemingly nonideological issues, is poorly understood. This paper offers an account of this phenomenon, suggesting that introducing ideologically divisive solutions to nonpolarized issues triggers “spillover polarization.” Consistent with this account, four experiments demonstrate that pairing a nonpolarized issue with an ideologically divisive solution can cause individuals whose political beliefs align with the solution to exaggerate the issue’s importance, while those whose beliefs conflict with the solution downplay its importance, thus polarizing views of the previously neutral issue.

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Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash