Is the U.S. as polarized as we think?

U.S. polarization researchers have established that the mass public is generally much less polarized than politicians. But, do people who perceive political elites and partisans as polarized also tend to perceive the mass public as polarized?

Research recently published by University of Michigan post-doc Gavin Ploger attempts to answer this question. Ploger found that respondents perceive the public to be nearly as polarized as parties and politicians—even though this does not reflect empirical reality.

He also found evidence of a spillover effect caused by news media. Respondents presented information about polarization (or lack thereof) for one group still update their perceptions of all three groups at once. He argues that the media’s coverage of polarization can help explain why people assume the mass public to be more polarized than it actually is.

You can find explore further in the full article and learn more about Gavin Ploger’s research at his website.