Polarisation

Question 1

Ideological Divergence

Answer 1

The degree at which attitudes diverge (extremes)

Question 2

Ideological Consistency

Answer 2

The degree at which party preference matches ideology (partisan sorting) and attitudes (different topics) is consistent

Question 3

Perceived Ideological Polarisation

Answer 3

The degree at which voters perceive ideological divergence

Driven by: actual (parties moving further apart) sorting, or other things (coalitions, negative campaigning)

Question 4

Affective polarisation

Answer 4

Degree of dislike/distrust of other parties (positive in-group bias, negative out-group bias)

More intuitive in 2 party rather than multi-party = some signs in Austria (voters like own parties and ideologically proximate parties)

Question 5

Partisan sorting (low)

Partisan sorting (high)

Answer 5

Many left/right, some center/right/left

Almost all left/right

Question 6

Perceived ideological polarisation - contrast

Answer 6

disliked parties away from own position

Question 7

Perceived ideological polarisation - Assimilation

Answer 7

liked parties closer to own position

Question 8

Wagner and Prapotnik 2023

Answer 8

Study showed fictional news articles on coalition formations (in-party/out-party)

Elite signals matter. cause = threat perception. reduced by = signals of cooperation (coalitions)…

Only works when the other party is ideologically close

Question 9

Lethers 2016

Answer 9

4 forms of polarisation (ideological consistency, divergence, perceived polarisation, affective)

Uses US national election studies to look at polarisation in America = mass hasn’t diverged, but partisans have