Interventions to reduce partisan animosity

Rachel Hartman; Will Blakey; Jake Womick; Chris Bail; Eli J Finkel; Hahrie Han; John Sarrouf; Juliana Schroeder; Paschal Sheeran; Jay J Van Bavel; Robb Willer; Kurt Gray

doi:10.1038/s41562-022-01442-3

Interventions to reduce partisan animosity

Nat Hum Behav. 2022 Sep;6(9):1194-1205. doi: 10.1038/s41562-022-01442-3. Epub 2022 Sep 19.

Authors

Rachel Hartman¹, Will Blakey², Jake Womick², Chris Bail³, Eli J Finkel⁴, Hahrie Han⁵, John Sarrouf⁶, Juliana Schroeder⁷, Paschal Sheeran², Jay J Van Bavel⁸, Robb Willer⁹, Kurt Gray¹⁰

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. [email protected].
² Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
³ Department of Sociology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
⁴ Department of Psychology and the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
⁵ Department of Political Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁶ Essential Partners, Cambridge, MA, USA.
⁷ Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
⁸ Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
⁹ Department of Sociology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
¹⁰ Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. [email protected].

PMID: 36123534
DOI: 10.1038/s41562-022-01442-3

Abstract

Rising partisan animosity is associated with a reduction in support for democracy and an increase in support for political violence. Here we provide a multi-level review of interventions designed to reduce partisan animosity, which we define as negative thoughts, feelings and behaviours towards a political outgroup. We introduce the TRI framework to capture three levels of intervention-thoughts (correcting misconceptions and highlighting commonalities), relationships (building dialogue skills and fostering positive contact) and institutions (changing public discourse and transforming political structures)-and connect these levels by highlighting the importance of motivation and mobilization. Our review encompasses both interventions conducted as part of academic research projects and real-world interventions led by practitioners in non-profit organizations. We also explore the challenges of durability and scalability, examine self-fulfilling polarization and interventions that backfire, and discuss future directions for reducing partisan animosity.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Humans
Motivation
Politics*
Violence* / prevention & control