Feeling polarized: emotional partisan polarization and its reinforcement through campaign advertising

2012-08-01This project examines the emotional dimension of partisan polarization, and executes a variety of tests of Intergroup Emotion Theory (IET). Utilizing original survey and experimental data gathered during the 2008 presidential election season, this work demonstrates that partisans are significantly polarized over emotional appraisals of the candidates, and that the emotions matter; they are significant indicators of overall candidate favorability. The data also demonstrate that emotions can be impacted by campaign advertising, and that the substance of these ads matters. Ad tone and topic both had significant effects on the type and strength of emotions aroused amongst partisan viewers. The data provide support for IET, and for a conception of partisanship emphasizing social identification with the parties