Why We Disagree: The Psychology Behind America’s Political Division

KEYWORDS

Thanksgiving, politics, social psychology, cognitive biases, in-group, out-group, morality, social media, political division, bridging divides

SUMMARY

In this episode, Dr. Tom Kiely explores the psychological factors contributing to political division, particularly during family gatherings like Thanksgiving. He delves into social psychology, cognitive biases, in-group versus out-group dynamics, and the role of morality in political judgment. The discussion also highlights the impact of social media algorithms on political discourse and offers pathways for bridging divides through empathy, critical thinking, and intergroup dialogue.

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SELECTED REFERENCES:

• Allcott, H., & Gentzkow, M.6 (2017). Social Media and Fake News in the 2016 Election. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 31(2), 211-236.
• Allport, G. W. (1954). The Nature of Prejudice. Addison-Wesley.

• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. (2023, September 5). Polarization, Democracy, and Political Violence in the United States: What the Research Says. https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2023/09/polarization-democracy-and-political-violence-in-the-united-states-what-the-research-says?lang=en
• DePaul University. (n.d.). Bridging the Divide: 30 Strategies for Reducing Polarization at the Neighborhood Level. https://resources.depaul.edu/abcd-institute/publications/publications-and-learnings/Documents/Bridging%20the%20Divide%2030%20Strategies%20for%20Reducing%20Polarization%20at%20the%20Neighborhood%20Level.pdf

• Levy, R. (2021).7 Social Media, News Consumption, and Polarization: Evidence from a Field Experiment. American Economic Review, 111(3), 831-870.

• Nickerson, R. S. (1998). Confirmation bias: A ubiquitous phenomenon in many guises. Review of General Psychology, 2(2), 175-220.
• Number Analytics. (n.d.). Cognitive Biases in Politics. https://www.numberanalytics.com/blog/cognitive-biases-in-politics
• Pariser, E. (2011). The Filter Bubble: What the Internet Is Hiding from You. Penguin Press.
• ResearchGate.net. (n.d.). Politics makes bastards of us all: Why moral judgment is politically situational. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377439620_Politics_makes_bastards_of_us_all_Why_moral_judgment_is_politically_situational
• Stanford Graduate School of Business. (n.d.). 10 Tips for Tackling Political Polarization in the Workplace and Beyond. https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/10-tips-tackling-political-polarization-workplace-and-beyond8
• Sumner, W. G. (1906). Folkways: A study of the sociological importance of usages, manners, customs, mores, and morals. Ginn and Company.
• Taber, C. S., & Lodge, M. (2006). Motivated skepticism9 in the evaluation of political beliefs. American Journal of Political Science, 50(3), 755-769.
• Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1979). An integrative theory of intergroup conflict. Journal of Social Psychology, 33(3), 47-63.