¿Demasiado lejos? Cómo la polarización mal percibida alimenta la polarización afectiva en España

  1. Rojo Martínez, José Miguel 1
  1. 1 Universidad de Murcia
    info
    Universidad de Murcia

    Murcia, España

    ROR https://ror.org/03p3aeb86

    Geographic location of the organization Universidad de Murcia
Journal:
Papers. Revista de Sociologia

ISSN: 2013-9004,  0210-2862

Year of publication: 2025

Volume: 110

Issue: 3

Pages: 1-29

Type: Article

DOI: 10.5565/REV/PAPERS.3363 GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openOpen access editor

More publications in: Papers. Revista de Sociologia

Related Projects

"Polarización Afectiva en la Región de Murcia. Un Estudio sobre Sus Causas" (Proyecto Polariza) (2023-2024)

Abstract

Spain is marked by high levels of affective polarization. Some studies argue that this is the result of increased ideological polarization, while others note the effect of certain issues, as well as the influence of social media, elites, and changes in party supply. In this article we propose another explanation based on the effect of (mis)perceptions. Firstly, we show that individuals with a more unrealistic perception of a party’s ideological position will also develop stronger feelings of antipathy toward that party. Secondly, we show that perceived polarization increases individual affective polarization. Attitudes are influenced by judgments about political reality, which in turn are influenced (and biased) by group identities. Finally, we construct an indicator of false polarization to see to what extent the difference between perceived polarization and actual polarization of the party system informs higher individual levels of affective polarization. We also confirm with this strategy that, as the sense of false polarization grows, so does the dispersion of affect across party groups. In short, this article explores the influence of perceptions on citizens’ attitudes. These perceptions often tend to artificially exaggerate differences with outgroups, which can lead individuals to mistakenly think they have little in common.

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