A big reason why political polarization is spiraling out of control and how we can fix it
Polls show that Democrats and Republicans believe they have less in common now than they did 17 years ago. In 2007, around half of Democrats (46%) and Republicans (43%) thought those on the opposite side of the aisle shared their values and goals. However, a 2024 poll found that only 31% of Democrats and 26% of Republicans believe they share the same values and goals as those in the other political party.The widening political divide makes addressing many of America's pressing issues harder. It has also created a political climate in which the parties favor extremists, and people in the political center feel they have no one to represent them. A new study from the British Journal of Social Psychology has identified one of the major reasons people are becoming increasingly divided over politics. The good news is that it points to a solution.