Education level and affective polarization: The mediation effects of psychological engagement in politics and authoritarian attitudes

Kyung Joon Han

Social Science Quarterly, 2022, vol. 103, issue 7, 1633-1646

Abstract: Objective We investigate how the education effect on affective polarization is mediated by people's cognitive behaviors. Method We employ a causal mediation analysis model and the American National Election Studies (2016 and 2020). Results Both voters’ psychological engagement in politics and their authoritarian attitudes mediate the education effect on affective polarization, but the directions of the two mediation effects are different. While a person's attainment of higher education lowers her affective polarization through her weak authoritarian attitude, it raises her affective polarization through her psychological engagement in politics. Conclusion The result implies that educational expansion does not warrant the waning of affective polarization. It also implies that education may have differing indirect effects on other political behaviors such as party support.

Date: 2022
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