Online experiment demonstrates affective polarization impacts political participation in partisan social media contexts, suggesting implications for media bias perceptions.
Key Points
Perceived bias gaps between pro-attitudinal and counter-attitudinal posts were reduced in incongruent contexts, leading to enhanced tolerance within partisan audiences.
Manipulation of social media comments created three distinct contexts: congruent, balanced, and incongruent, influencing political participation intentions.
Online experiment involved 574 participants, highlighting the significance of opinion diversity in shaping views on media bias and political polarization.
Incongruent contexts can mitigate discomfort towards out-party supporters, indicating potential pathways for improving intergroup relations and political dialogue.