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Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses
Published on: September 28, 2018
Polarization is the psychological foundation of collective engagement
Laura G E Smith1, Emma F Thomas2, Ana-Maria Bliuc3
1University of Bath, Bath, UK. l.g.e.smith@bath.ac.uk.
Abstract:
The term polarization is used to describe both the division of a society into opposing groups (political polarization), and a social psychological phenomenon (group polarization) whereby people adopt more extreme positions after discussion. We explain how group polarization underpins the political polarization phenomenon: Social interaction, for example through social media, enables groups to form in such a way that their beliefs about what should be done to change the world-and how this differs from the stance of other groups-become integrated as aspects of a new, shared social identity. This provides a basis for mobilization to collective action.
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