Table Of ContentThe Psychology of Political Polarization
The Psychology of Political Polarization was inspired by the notion that, to
understand the momentum of radical political movements, it is important to
understand the attitudes of individual citizens who support such movements.
Leading political psychologists have contributed to this important book, in
which they share their latest ideas about political polarization – a complex
phenomenon that cannot be traced back to a single cause, and that is associated
with intolerance, overconfidence, and irrational beliefs. The book explores the
basis of political polarization as being how citizens think and feel about people
with a different worldview, how they perceive minority groups, and how much
they trust leaders and experts on pressing societal issues such as climate change,
health, international relations, and poverty. The chapters are organized into two
sections that examine what psychological processes and what social factors con-
tribute to polarization among regular citizens. The book also describes practical
strategies and interventions to depolarize people.
The book offers a state-o f- the- art introduction to the psychology of pol-
itical polarization which will appeal to the academic market and political
professionals.
Jan-W illem van Prooijen is Associate Professor of Psychology at Vrije
Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam, and senior researcher at the Netherlands Institute
for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR). His main research
interests are political polarization, conspiracy theories, and unethical behavior.
Current Issues in Social Psychology
Series Editor: Johan Karemmans
Current Issues in Social Psychology is a series of edited books that reflect the state
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Mindfulness in Social Psychology
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Belief Systems and the Perception of Reality
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Current Directions in Ostracism, Social Exclusion and Rejection
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New Directions in the Psychology of Close Relationships
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Psychological Perspectives on Praise
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The Social Psychology of Humor
Edited by Madelijn Strick and Thomas E. Ford
The Psychology of Political
Polarization
Edited by
Jan- Willem van Prooijen
First published 2021
by Routledge
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© 2021 selection and editorial matter, Jan- Willem van Prooijen; individual chapters,
the contributors
The right of Jan-W illem van Prooijen to be identified as the author of the editorial material,
and of the authors for their individual chapters, has been asserted in accordance with
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ISBN: 978- 0- 367- 48717- 1 (hbk)
ISBN: 978- 0- 367- 48716- 4 (pbk)
ISBN: 978- 1- 003- 04243- 3 (ebk)
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Contents
List of contributors vii
1 The psychology of political polarization: an introduction 1
JAN-W ILLEM VAN PROOIJEN
SECTION 1
Underlying processes of political polarization 15
2 When do psychological differences predict political
differences? Engagement and the psychological bases of
political polarization 17
CHRISTOPHER M. FEDERICO
3 The political mindset of supporters of radical
and populist parties 38
ALAIN VAN HIEL, JASPER VAN ASSCHE, AND TESSA HAESEVOETS
4 A psychological profile of extreme Trump supporters 53
LAURA KINSMAN AND JEREMY A. FRIMER
5 The impact of relational goals on political polarization 77
CHADLY STERN
SECTION 2
The social context of political polarization 95
6 Support for populist parties: economic deprivation,
cultural backlash, or status anxiety? 97
JOLANDA JETTEN AND FRANK MOLS
newgenprepdf
vi Contents
7 The agreement paradox: how pressures to agree with
others ultimately cause more societal division 112
LUCIAN GIDEON CONWAY, III, SHANNON C. HOUCK,
LINUS CHAN, MEREDITH A. REPKE, AND JAMES D. MCFARLAND
8 Converging moral views in social networks and their
impact on protest violence 135
MARLON MOOIJMAN
9 Can the partisan divide in climate change attitudes be
bridged? A review of experimental interventions 149
JACOB B. RODE AND PETER H. DITTO
Index 169
Contributors
Linus Chan, Department of Psychology, University of Montana
Peter H. Ditto, Department of Psychological Science, University of
California, Irvine
Christopher M. Federico, Department of Political Science and Psychology,
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Jeremy A. Frimer, Department of Psychology, University of Winnipeg
Lucian Gideon Conway, III, Department of Psychology, University of
Montana
Tessa Haesevoets, Department of Developmental, Personality and Social
Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium
Shannon C. Houck, Defense Analysis Department, Naval Postgraduate School
Jolanda Jetten, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland
Laura Kinsman, Department of Psychology, University of Winnipeg
James D. McFarland, Department of Psychology, University of Montana
Frank Mols, School of Political Science and International Studies, The
University of Queensland
Marlon Mooijman, Jones Graduate School of Business, Rice University,
Houston, Texas
Meredith A. Repke, BetterUp
Jacob B. Rode, Department of Psychological Science, University of
California, Irvine
Chadly Stern, University of Illinois, Urbana-C hampaign
Jasper Van Assche, Department of Developmental, Personality and Social
Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium
viii Contributors
Alain Van Hiel, Department of Developmental, Personality and Social
Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium
Jan- Willem van Prooijen, Department of Experimental and Applied
Psychology, VU Amsterdam / the NSCR, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Chapter 1
The psychology of political
polarization
An introduction
Jan- Willem van Prooijen
Across the world, societies polarize politically. The tone of political debate has
hardened in recent years, and the political left and right increasingly seem to
perceive each other as enemies instead of as opponents. Extremist, nationalist,
and populist leaders who blame other groups for society’s problems have bene-
fi ted electorally from these developments. Various countries have elected popu-
list leaders in offi ce in recent years (e.g., the US, Italy, Hungary, Brazil), and also
elsewhere nationalist movements have signifi cantly shaped the political land-
scape (e.g., Brexit). Against the backdrop of these developments, the world faces
important challenges such as the COVID-1 9 pandemic, climate change, geo-
political confl ict, terrorism, and immigration. Moreover, governmental offi cials
frequently report suspicions of foreign interference in national elections, and
the public is regularly exposed to fake news, alternative facts, and conspiracy
theories that fuel further polarization.
Political polarization is often visible through macro-l evel processes in society,
including protest movements, electoral support for relatively radical political
parties, and increasing levels of confl ict between societal movements. Yet, at
the basis of political polarization are psychological, micro- and meso- level
processes that determine how individual citizens think and feel about people
with a diff erent worldview, how they treat ethnic, religious, and sexual minority
groups, and how much they trust leaders and experts on issues such as climate
change, health, poverty, and international confl ict. Any manifestation of polit-
ical polarization starts with the concerns of individual citizens, and therefore,
the social-p sychological processes associated with polarized political views are
key to understanding the broader societal implications of this phenomenon. As
such, attempts to depolarize the political debate are more likely to be eff ective
if they take scientifi c knowledge of the psychology of political polarization into
account.
The present edited volume was inspired by these issues, and sought to pro-
vide a state-o f- the- art overview of scientifi c knowledge on the psychology of
political polarization. To achieve this aim, leading experts on the psychology
of political polarization generously contributed a chapter in which they share
