Affective Polarisation

Political loyalty is largely seen as a social identity, shaped by resonant feelings towards one’s own party and the identity it offers. Scholars are increasingly examining political polarisation among citizens, how it relates to party loyalty, and its adverse effects on democracy and even social well-being. The growing divide between political factions in contemporary democracies is influenced less by socio-economic indicators such as education and employment, and more by fundamental differences in values, attitudes, and emotions. Affective polarisation describes this emotional split, in which political affiliations evoke strong feelings of affinity for one’s group and hostility towards the other.

In the U.S., this emotional chasm is evident, with Democrats and Republicans viewing each other not just as opponents but as threats. Why do political debates seem so charged with emotion? It’s because they are. As MORES explains, our feelings about politics stem from and shape our political identities and choices. The emotional investment in political identities means that losing an election can feel like a defeat and a realisation of a threat, while a win validates one’s values and identity. Negative emotions can deepen social and political divides between different political groups.

Understanding affective polarisation is key as it threatens democratic dialogue and social cohesion. While much of the current scientific research has focused on the U.S.—possibly explaining why many believe the phenomenon is mainly prevalent there—recent studies suggest it is not limited to America. In Europe, affective polarisation may be just as strong, if not stronger, in some countries. The scientific debate remains open, partly due to significant methodological challenges and diverse approaches to studying affective polarisation in Europe’s multi-party systems.

MORES, a Horizon Europe-funded collaboration among nine European institutions, offers a novel approach to studying this topic. Unlike traditional methods, the project examines affective polarisation through the lens of moral emotions and moralised political identities across Europe, moving beyond simpler measures such as feeling thermometers. The project also aims to contribute to this debate by developing methodologies to gauge moral emotional divides in Europe, while creating tools to address it.

FURTHER READING:

Garrett, K. N., & Bankert, A. (2020). The moral roots of partisan division: How moral conviction heightens affective polarization. British Journal of Political Science, 50(2), 621-640.

Iyengar, S., Lelkes, Y., Levendusky, M., Malhotra, N., & Westwood, S. J. (2019). The origins and consequences of affective polarization in the United States. Annual Review of Political Science, 22, 129-146.

Wagner, M. (2024). Affective polarization in Europe. European Political Science Review, 16(3):378-392. doi:10.1017/S1755773923000383

Wagner, M. (2021). Affective polarization in multiparty systems. Electoral Studies, 69, 102199.