More than a third of adult Americans have lost relationships with friends, relatives, or romantic partners due to political differences. This finding comes from a study that examined the interpersonal consequences of political polarization in the United States.
According to data published in the journal PNAS Nexus, in 2023, 37% of Americans reported a so-called “political breakup” — the loss of a relationship due to differences in political views. This percentage appears to have risen since 2016. Researchers Mertkan Güngör and Peter Ditto analyzed survey data from thousands of adult Americans.
Details of “Political Breakups”
Among those who reported a “political breakup,” 62% ended a relationship with a friend, 40% with a family member, 29% with a colleague, and 10% with a romantic partner. Democrats were more likely than Republicans to report such breakups and to initiate them.
The study’s authors found that individuals who lost relationships due to politics typically harbored particularly negative feelings toward their political opponents. They also tended to overestimate the extremity of opponents’ political views and believed their opponents had selfish motives.
According to the researchers, such “burning of bridges” over political differences can harm democracy and individual well-being. This phenomenon contributes to increased polarization and growing loneliness.
Source: Phys.org
