How Party Affiliation Conditions the Experience of Dissonance and Explains Polarization and Selective Exposure*
Abstract
Objectives Dissonance theory has been widely studied in the social sciences, especially given its implications for polarization and selective exposure. This study expands previous research by investigating how this process may differ when a foundational political identity such as party affiliation is at stake. Methods This study adapts a classic dissonance paradigm—writing a counterattitudinal essay under conditions of high versus low choice—to a political context by manipulating the topic of the essay to advocating membership in the opposing political party. Results In this context, party affiliation conditions response to writing a counterattitudinal essay: only Republican respondents demonstrate heightened dissonance, selective exposure, and polarization as a result of this task, particularly when the essay is political. Conclusions Dissonance may not be a universal response to potentially arousing tasks, but if only some groups experience dissonance and polarization after enumerating the benefits of an opposing party, it may bias democratic functioning.
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Additional cognitive-motivational mechanisms that may exacerbate issue polarization include selective avoidance of counter-attitudinal information and motivated resistance to attitude change.
“Additional cognitive–motivational mechanisms that may exacerbate issue polarization include other forms of reduction in cognitive dissonance, such as selective avoidance of counter-attitudinal information and motivated resistance to attitude change (see Table 1), both of which reflect ego-defensive motives to avoid inconsistency and maintain the individual’s pre-existing beliefs, opinions and”
From Cognitive–motivational mechanisms of political polarization in social-communicative contexts (2022) · cites this paper as [124]
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References 51 · Cited by 32
- Authors
- Vraga, E. K.
- Affiliations
- George Mason University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Vraga, Emily K.
- ORCID
- Vraga, Emily K.
- Venue
- Social Science Quarterly
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2014-11-03
- Volume
- 96
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 487-502
- ISSN
- 0038-4941 (ISSN-L)
- 1540-6237
- OpenAlex
- W2122050191
- Cited by
- 32
- References
- 51
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 4.34
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Social Science Quarterly (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Electoral Systems and Political Participation
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Media Influence and Politics
- Keywords
- cognitive dissonance, political affiliation, political polarization, selective exposure, Republican voters, political identity, democratic functioning
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