Imaginary Enemies

Whatever the reason, though, people’s reluctance to tackle the extreme views on their own side is another factor locking both sides into a false perception of the other. If, for instance, extremists on the left call for the complete abolition of the police, and no one on their side criticizes this position, conservatives may get the impression that... See more

The phenomenon is known as false polarization : polarization based not on genuine differences in the modal views of each side but on misperceived differences. According to Parker and colleagues, false polarization is amplified by partisan media, and has various harmful knock-on effects - effects potentially damaging to the democratic process.