“We have shown that the onset of partisan polarization occurs early in the life cycle with very little change thereafter. Today, high levels of in-group favoritism and out-group distrust are in place well before early adulthood.” (1/x) marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolu…
“In fact, our 2019 results suggest that the learning curve for polarization plateaus by the age of 11.”
“This is very unlike the developmental pattern that held in the 1970s and 1980s, when early childhood was characterized by blanket positivity toward authority figures and partisanship gradually intruded into the political attitudes of adolescents before peaking in adulthood.”
“50 years ago, political socialization was thought to play a stabilizing role important to democratic norms and institutions. In particular, children’s adoption of uncritical attitudes toward authority figures helped to legitimize the entire democratic regime.”
“In the current era, it seems questionable whether the early acquisition of out-party animus fosters democratic norms and civic attitudes.”
“Extreme polarization is now associated with rampant misinformation, and, as indicated by the events that occurred in the aftermath of the 2020 election, with willingness to reject the outcome of free and fair electoral procedures.”
“The question for future research is how to transmit party attachments, as occurred in the pre-polarization era, without the accompanying distrust and disdain for political opponents.” (X/x)
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