The Impact of Political Identity and Outgroup Partisan Media Contact on Intergroup Bias and Unwillingness to Compromise with the Opposing Party: An Intergroup Threat Approach

Drawing on the assumptions of intergroup threat theory, this study explored the influence of political identity and outgroup partisan media use on intergroup attitudes (intergroup bias and unwillingness to compromise with the opposing party) during the 2018 U.S. mid-term election and how perceptions of threats posed by the opposing party mediated these relationships. We found that political identity was positively associated with intergroup bias and unwillingness to support compromise, whereas outgroup media exposure was negatively associated with such attitudes. Perceptions of realistic threats posed by the opposing party partially mediated the relationships between party identity and intergroup bias, but not between party identity and unwillingness to support compromise. The practical and theoretical implications of these results are discussed.

Automated summary

The study found that political identity was positively associated with intergroup bias and unwillingness to support compromise, while outgroup media exposure was negatively associated with such attitudes. Perceptions of realistic threats posed by the opposing party partially mediated the relationships between party identity and intergroup bias.