A useful exchange of differences, not to mention a productive search for common ground, depends upon understanding “where the other side is coming from.” Recent research published in The Journal of Politics (among the most prestigious journals in political science) strongly suggests that both Republicans and Democrats systematically fail that test–that both sides regularly misunderstand each other.
The research, conducted by Douglas Ahler and Gaurav Sood, found that:
People make large, systematic errors when judging party composition, considerably overestimating the extent to which partisans belong to party-stereotypical groups. For instance, Americans believe that 32% of Democrats are gay, lesbian, or bisexual (only 6.3% are in reality), and that 38% of Republicans earn over $250,000 per year (just 2.2% do in reality).
The consequences of such errors are significant. As Ahler and Sood point out: “Believing that opposing partisans hold more extreme policy preferences, and feeling more socially distant from them, are both liable to cause citizens to become less receptive to out-party communications and less likely to consider voting for that party.”
Ahler and Sood’s research takes on added significance when one considers that, according to a 2018 Pew Research Center poll, party allegiance is nearly as often determined by opposition to the other party’s values as it is by alignment with one’s own. If citizens are regularly misperceiving the other party’s values and make-up, it follows that opposition to the other party will be misconstrued or misplaced, as well.
“Know your enemy” is one of the first principles of command in wartime; “Know the opposition” is one of the first principles of democratic citizenship. Ahler and Sood’s work is a reminder that we’re far from living up to it.
