Why We're So Divided... The Neuroscience of Politics 🧠
Why It Feels Worse Than It Is and How to Bridge the Divide (8min Read)
TL;DR Summary:
Are we as divided as it feels? While news and social media make divisions seem extreme, research shows Americans actually agree on core values like voting rights, freedom, and equality.
Why does it feel so polarized? Our brains are wired for survival, making us more sensitive to emotionally charged information and group dynamics that intensify an “us vs. them” mindset.
What psychology is at work here? Biases like confirmation bias, negativity bias, and tribalism all play a role, shaping our perception of division even when there’s common ground.
How can we bridge the divide? In-person conversations, active listening, sharing personal stories, using collaborative language, and focusing on shared values can help reduce polarization.
Moving forward: Despite political differences, we share far more than we realize. By understanding the psychology behind division, we can find real connections, foster unity, and build stronger communities.
Are We Really a Nation Divided?
Have you ever felt the disconnect between what you see in political news/social media and what you experience when talking to friends and neighbors?
I can’t be the only one who sees news or social media posts that talk about how we’re such a “divided” nation.
Or stories about how much X person or Y group hates some other person or group.
Or that there’s violent people running around all over the place.
But is all of this true?
Online, people seem sharply divided, yet in person, I find compromise and shared values more often than you might expect.
I talk with people at coffee shops, or in the River Market here in KC, and I can't help but feel like we’re more similar than different.
So why does the news make it feel so intense? Are we really a divided nation, or are our brains working against us?
These are tough questions and, as always, the answer lies in our brains and how we perceive information.
Let’s dive in!
A Nation Divided…?
Despite all the intense debates on TV and the division we feel online, most Americans agree on the foundational principles of what makes this country “work.”
It might seem surprising, almost counterintuitive, given the state of discourse we see on social media.
Yet, 93% of Americans, across every political affiliation, believe voting rights are a core American value that should be protected.
Think about that for a moment.
The right to vote—often used as a lightning rod in political debates—is one of the few things we overwhelmingly agree on, regardless of party.
And our similarities don’t stop there…
84% of Americans believe the freedom of religion is essential to our country’s identity.
Over 90% of Americans believe everyone deserves equal opportunities to succeed, emphasizing the idea that success shouldn’t be determined by who you are or where you come from.
What About Specific Issues or Policies?
You might say, ok, but those are general issues, Cody, not specific ones.
I’m happy to inform you, that even with specific issues, the similarities continue.
In fact, seventy-one percent of Americans support raising the minimum wage—a majority that includes people across the political spectrum.
Here’s another one to chew on: 79% believe that immigration is good for the country.
Yes, in an age where immigration is framed as a polarizing issue, a strong majority actually views it as beneficial, underscoring a more welcoming, inclusive national mindset than you might assume.
Here’s something even crazier…
When asked, 93% of Americans said they’d be friends with someone from the opposing political party.
And seventy-five percent of Americans report that in-person conversations about politics are mostly respectful—a far cry from the online reality, where only 55% say the same.
In face-to-face settings, we tend to recognize each other as nuanced individuals rather than avatars of political ideologies.
Wild, right?
Polarized, or Nah?
Despite these unifying perspectives, the narrative often feels like it's one of deep polarization.
A large part of this is due to overestimations of others' views—for example, Republicans tend to believe that around 32% of Democrats are atheist or agnostic, while the actual figure is just 9%.
Democrats, similarly, overestimate how extreme Republican beliefs are.
The reality is that only 14% of Americans identify as either “consistently liberal” or “consistently conservative”.
This perception gap is highest among progressive activists, followed closely by extreme conservatives: in other words, the people who are most involved in civic and political life hold the least accurate views of the other side’s beliefs.
The majority of Americans hold a mix of views, showing that we are far more ideologically complex and moderate than we might assume.
Values Beyond Politics
And then there are the values that unite us beyond politics: 80% of Americans list “family” as their most important value, even something they would make sacrifices to protect.
Happiness comes in close behind at 72%.
Values like justice, personal independence, kindness, and trustworthiness are cherished by around 65% of Americans each.
Beneath our political identities, there is an enduring commitment to moral principles that shape our lives and communities.
In the end, when we look at the full picture, Americans share much more than we might think.
We value privacy, equal protection, freedom of speech, and the democratic process itself—with around 90% of Americans regarding these as fundamental rights.
And about three-quarters agree on the importance of a democratically elected government, while 80% say that access to good job opportunities is essential to achieving the American Dream.
These numbers reveal a powerful truth: Americans are not as polarized as it often appears.
We largely agree on foundational rights, essential values, and policy goals that impact everyday lives.
Yet, if we’re so aligned on so many of these issues, why does it still feel like there’s a massive divide?
To answer that, let’s dive into the psychological and neurological mechanisms that shape our perceptions and make these divisions feel more intense than they are.
Neuroscience Behind Our Perception of Division
It’s fascinating—and maybe a bit unnerving—how our brains seem almost designed to make us feel more divided than we are.
So why, despite all the statistics showing how much common ground we share, does the world feel polarized?
Here’s where the hidden mechanisms of neuroscience and psychology come in, shaping our perceptions and emotions in powerful ways that often work against us.
Why We’re Wired for Confirmation Bias
First, there’s the issue of selective attention and confirmation bias.
Our brains are naturally wired to latch onto information that aligns with what we already believe and filter out the rest.
When you’re scrolling through social media or watching the news, your brain’s reward system lights up when it sees information that validates your beliefs.
This tiny hit of dopamine reinforces our existing views, making us more likely to seek out information that agrees with us in the future.
Over time, this creates a kind of “echo chamber” effect, where our perspective feels increasingly validated and unshakable, and opposing viewpoints feel even more distant and hard to understand.
Us Versus Them Dynamics
In-group/out-group dynamics add fuel to the fire.
Humans evolved to form tight-knit groups for survival, and this ancient tendency is still with us today.
Political parties become “tribes” that activate the brain’s threat-detection systems, like the amygdala, when confronted with an out-group.
In other words, if you’re part of one political group, encountering a person or idea from “the other side” can feel like encountering a threat.
Protective Cognition and Cognitive Dissonance
Adding to this is a tendency toward identity-protective cognition, where political beliefs become wrapped up in our sense of self.
When we come across information that contradicts our views, our brains register a type of psychological discomfort called cognitive dissonance.
Instead of adjusting our beliefs, which would threaten our self-identity, we’re more likely to dismiss the conflicting information.
This process helps us avoid that uncomfortable feeling, but it also strengthens our attachment to our “side” and makes compromise feel more challenging.
Tribalism Psychology
Finally, there’s the matter of tribalism.
Humans have a deeply ingrained tendency to form alliances, and in politics, these alliances become coalitions.
Once we’ve chosen a “side,” our brains reward us for defending our group’s beliefs and casting the other group as an “enemy.”
These psychological rewards strengthen our loyalty and make us feel connected to our group, but they also intensify the divide.
All these mechanisms make it easy for us to fall into traps of division, even when our values and goals aren’t so different from those across the aisle.
Our brains are designed to protect us, but in today’s media-saturated world, these ancient mechanisms can work against us, making us feel like our divides are bigger and deeper than they are.
Recognizing these forces is the first step to bridging the gap—by being aware, you can start to question your instincts!
Bridging the Divide With Neuroscience
By now, you’re probably, alright, Cody, so what can we do about this?
Great question, the answer lies in the same places the problem does, the mind and brain!
Here are a few ways we can use neuroscience and psychology to bridge the political divide.
1. Have Real-World Conversations
One of the most effective ways to reduce perceived division is to step away from screens and have real, in-person conversations.
When we interact face-to-face, our amygdala—the brain’s threat detector—begins to relax, allowing the empathy centers in our medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) to kick in.
This part of the brain helps us recognize common values and shared humanity.
So, the next time you feel tempted to debate a topic online, consider reaching out for an in-person chat instead.
It’s a chance to build a more genuine understanding and make political discussions feel less like “us vs. them” and more like a cooperative conversation.
2. Emphasize Active Listening
When we listen actively—focusing on understanding rather than immediately responding—the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s center for complex decision-making and empathy, becomes engaged.
This approach allows us to pause, take in the other person’s perspective, and consider their thoughts more carefully.
By listening actively, we reduce the instinct to respond defensively, and instead, our brains start to process their perspective with empathy.
In practice, this means taking a breath, hearing the person out fully, and reflecting back on what they say without rushing to a counterpoint.
Active listening makes people feel heard and valued, which creates space for constructive dialogue, even around divisive topics.
3. Foster Empathy by Sharing Personal Stories
There’s something powerful about a personal story.
Neuroscientifically, storytelling engages the limbic system, the brain’s emotional center, and creates a shared experience that fosters connection.
When we share personal stories rather than abstract arguments, we’re inviting the other person to step into our shoes and see a topic through our eyes.
This can shift a conversation from “me vs. you” to a cooperative exploration of our shared experiences and humanity.
Next time a political topic comes up, try framing it around a personal story rather than just stating a position.
4. Focus on Shared Values
One of the most effective ways to bridge divides is to focus on what we have in common.
As you now know, studies show that Americans widely agree on core values like freedom, equality, and family.
By grounding conversations in these shared values, we activate the brain’s reward centers, which foster a sense of collaboration and unity.
Recognizing these points of commonality deactivates threat responses, making it easier to listen, connect, and find solutions together.
When political discussions arise, try anchoring them in shared values.
Instead of starting with where you disagree, focus first on where you agree!
Together, We’re Stronger
This election season, let’s keep in mind that we’re not as divided as it may seem.
Despite our political differences, Americans overwhelmingly share values like family, equality, justice, and freedom.
The neuroscience and psychology behind our divisions tell us that these perceived divides are often illusions, created by the way our brains process information in a world of quick takes and sound bites.
As you move forward, remember that beyond the headlines and heated social media threads, we’re more alike than different.
I challenge you to look past the noise and connect on a deeper level with those around you.
We’re all in this together—and together, we’re much stronger than we think.
Until next time… Live Heroically 🧠
Supporting Research
Pew Research Center. (2017, October 5). The partisan divide on political values grows even wider. https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2017/10/05/the-partisan-divide-on-political-values-grows-even-wider/
The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. (2024, March). March 2024 AP-NORC Center Poll. The Associated Press and NORC at the University of Chicago.
CBS News. (n.d.). Surprising things Americans actually agree on. Retrieved October 29, 2024
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