SOC 135 Study Guide - Pew Research Center, Garry Wills, American National Election Studies
Document Summary
After the bruising and contentious 2016 u. s. presidential election, it"s not surprising that. Americans" evaluations of members of the opposite political party have reached an all-time low. According to data from the pew research center, 45% of republicans and 41% of. Democrats think the other party is so dangerous that it is a threat to the health of the nation. This animus has spilled over into social networks: according to a huffpost/yougov poll, nearly half of americans got into an argument with someone (a friend, family member, coworker, etc. ) about the election last year. Fifty years ago few people expressed any anger when asked how they would feel if their child married someone from the other party. Democrats and nearly half of republicans would be deeply upset. Americans not only disagree on the issues but also increasingly personally dislike those from the other party. This is a phenomenon scholars call affective polarization.
