Americans see their political foes as stupid

Americans see their political opponents as stupid rather than evil

What can science tell us about political divide in the US?
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The political divide between right and left in America is the worst it's been in decades. It seems as if both sides view the other as a particularly cruel brand of evil if you listen to the news media. But that just isn't the case.

Our political others are just dumb not evil
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Instead of seeing their political others as evil, most Americans just look at those with differing views as just plain old stupid according to research published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

The concerning rise in political polarization
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The authors of the study wrote that one of the most concerning developments in modern politics was the rise of polarization in its discourse, noting some public figures had taken to saying "conservatives think liberals are stupid, and liberals think conservatives are evil.”

Differences might not be as dire as they seem
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However, the idea that some individuals in the country see those on the opposite side of the political spectrum as evil isn't quite accurate. In reality, most people see their political opponents as unintelligent rather than immoral based on four separate studies.