The Anger of Defeat: Electoral Defeat and Affective Polarization Among Strong Partisans

Key Points

• Emotional polarization rises sharply among supporters of candidates who lose elections, indicating significant psychological effects.
• Supporters of losing candidates show notably higher levels of emotional polarization, with strong partisan identity exacerbating this effect.
• Analysis of voting behavior demonstrates strong ties between electoral defeat and increased emotional tension among groups.
• Implications suggest that strong partisans struggling to accept electoral loss may heighten intergroup emotional conflict, threatening democratic stability.

Abstract