PsyPost reports:

A series of eight studies conducted in the United States found that people generally tend to overestimate their political opponents’ willingness to accept basic moral wrongs. This tendency to exaggerate the immorality of political opponents was observed not only in discussions of hot political topics but also regarding fundamental moral values. Many people believe that the opposing political side finds blatant wrongs acceptable. The research was published in PNAS Nexus.

Political animosity in the U.S. has been steadily growing over the past 40 years. Many Americans report that they hate the opposing political party more than they love their own, a sentiment associated with rising support for political violence. Studies show that both Democrats and Republicans believe their opponents are more extreme, harbor more prejudice, and conform more closely to demographic stereotypes than they actually do. They even tend to overestimate how much they disagree with the other side on specific policy issues.

Study author Curtis Puryear and his colleagues propose an even more significant misperception of political opponents, which they call the “basic morality bias.” This bias refers to the exaggerated perception that outgroup members, in this case, political opponents, lack basic moral values—that they accept fundamental moral wrongs. The authors describe this bias as “basic” because it is not about contentious political issues or nuanced moral dilemmas but about widely agreed-upon moral wrongs in society (e.g., theft or wrongful imprisonment).

The authors clarify that this bias does not mean individuals believe the other side is completely devoid of all moral capacities. Instead, individuals tend to overestimate the other group’s willingness to accept basic moral wrongs. [Continue reading…]