The more ambivalent a person is about a political issue, the more likely they are to support violence and other extreme actions relating to that issue.
The Ann Arbor Public Schools board discusses a resolution calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war on Jan. 17, 2024, in Ann Arbor, Mich.
AP Photo/Joey Cappelletti
A tradition of nonpartisanship on locally elected school boards is changing, following a national shift toward divisive political partisanship.
The William McKinley Monument, silhouetted on the west side of the Ohio Statehouse, on April 15, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio.
AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File
Ohio remains stuck with a deadline that won’t allow Joe Biden, running for reelection, to appear on the November ballot. The GOP-run Legislature does not appear to want to fix the problem.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), right, leaves the U.S. Capitol after the House voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on February 13, 2024 in Washington, DC.
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With its impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the House exercised its oversight power. How can you tell if it was a legitimate use of that power?
If you are what you eat, what does that mean for your politics?
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Polarization invades parts of Americans’ lives that really aren’t political, dividing society more deeply. That includes decisions about whether or not they like meatloaf or chili.
How a political opponent acted didn’t change participants’ harsh moral judgments.
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With growing polarization, political attitudes have begun to coincide with moral convictions. Partisans increasingly view each other as immoral. New research reveals the depth of that conviction.
Former US president Donald Trump delivers a speech after winning the New Hampshire primary on January 23, 2024.
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A new study unexpectedly found a way to help people assess social media posts with less bias and more care – pairing them up with partners who have a different perspective.
A golden sculpture of the angel Moroni atop the temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Rexburg, Idaho.
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The faith’s association with conservative politics has stayed strong for decades, but could become a liability, a political scientist argues.
Supporters, including one wearing a t-shirt bearing former President Donald Trump’s photo that says “Political prisoner,” watch as Trump departs the federal courthouse after arraignment, June 13, 2023, in Miami.
AP Photo/Gerald Herbert
It doesn’t make for inspiring politics, but political scientists have determined that for candidates, it’s more valuable to have an unpopular opponent than to be personally popular yourself.
Health struggles are part of the human condition, but politicians often resist revealing full medical records. The media often help lawmakers hide their conditions. That shortchanges the voters.
Will gridlock mean the new Congress won’t get anything done?
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With Democrats running the Senate and the GOP in control of the House, there’s concern that Congress won’t get anything done. Turns out, unified government isn’t very productive in the first place.
John Fetterman, left, relentlessly ridiculed Mehmet Oz, right, with the label ‘carpetbagger’ during the U.S. Senate campaign, which Fetterman ultimately won.
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In the hard-fought contest between John Fetterman and Mehmet Oz for the US Senate, Fetterman slammed Oz with charges he was a carpetbagger. That may have helped Fetterman win the race.
Jim Marchant, Republican candidate for Nevada secretary of state, arrives at a rally in Henderson on Nov. 6, 2022.
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Voters mostly did not cast their ballots for chief election administration officials who deny the 2020 election. But the hyperpartisan trend could further erode trust in elections.
Thousands of demonstrators gather in Washington, D.C., to support women’s rights on Oct. 8, 2022.
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Americans voters are angry about everything from abortion to inflation. While anger is good for voter turnout, it’s ultimately bad for solving problems in a democracy.
This illustration shows the lack of civility in American politics.
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Political debate has always been filled with heated words and deeply held emotions. But the level of civility in political discourse has reached a new low.
Candidate signs during the first day of early primary voting on July 7, 2022, in Silver Spring, Md.
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A partisan election system, attacks on election administration and widespread disinformation place the U.S. democracy in a precarious position.
People wait in line for a free morning meal in Los Angeles in April 2020. High and rising inequality is one reason the U.S. ranks badly on some international measures of development.
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The United States came in 41st worldwide on the UN’s 2022 sustainable development index, down nine spots from last year. A political historian explains the country’s dismal scores.