1
Return

The affective nature of affective polarization: Evidence from physiological and self-reported responses to US politicians

delete2026-06-10
delete0
delete
OA
AI
K
Kevin Arceneaux
B
Bert N. Bakker *
DOI:10.1111/pops.70165delete
deleteOriginal
deleteOriginal request for help
deleteShare
deleteSave
Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
What is the nature of affective partisan polarization? We answer this question in a preregistered laboratory study conducted in the United States measuring partisans' affective reactions to static images of US politicians with self-reports and physiological indicators of valence and arousal. Consistent with prior research, participants reported substantially more negative evaluations of out-party than in-party politicians. However, we do not observe reliable physiological differentiation between in-party and out-party elites under these conditions. This disconnect between self-reported negative affect and concurrent physiological responses suggests that, in the context of minimal elite exposure, affective polarization can be expressed without detectable visceral activation. These findings are consistent with constructivist and attitude retrieval accounts and constrain strong versions of the hot cognition thesis, though they do not logically exclude all possible roles for visceral affect under different conditions.

Journal

Political Psychology cover
Political Psychology
IF:
3.5
Papers:
2.4K
Citations:
7.6K

Organization

U
university of amsterdam
Scholars:
5.9W
Papers: 5.1W
Citations: 94
S
sciences po
Scholars:
18
Papers: 17
Citations: 0
Cited Papers

Cited Papers

Citing Papers

Citing Papers