A post-Brexit intergroup contact intervention reduces affective polarization between Leavers and Remainers short-term

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Political Science
• Communication Studies

Background:

• Affective polarization poses significant societal challenges.
• Effective interventions are needed to mitigate its harmful consequences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test an intervention's effectiveness in reducing affective polarization.
• To apply intergroup contact and interpersonal communication theories to a polarized context (Brexit).

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial with 120 UK participants (Leavers and Remainers).
• Sixty dyads engaged in facilitated intergroup or control interactions.
• Affective polarization assessed pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and one month later.

Main Results:

• The intervention temporarily increased warmth toward the outgroup and willingness to compromise.
• Unfavorable attributions about outgroup positions were reduced short-term.
• No statistically significant longer-term effects were found.

Conclusions:

• Interventions can achieve short-term reductions in affective polarization.
• Sustaining attitude change in polarized contexts remains a significant challenge.
• Engaging individuals with extreme political views in interventions is difficult.