A new version of this entry is available:
Loading...
Article
2024
Intraindividual conflicts reduce the polarization of attitudes
Intraindividual conflicts reduce the polarization of attitudes
Abstract (English)
Societies are increasingly divided about political issues such as migration or counteracting climate change. This attitudinal polarization is the basis for intergroup conflict and prevents societal progress in addressing pressing challenges. Research on attitude change should provide an answer regarding how people might be persuaded to move away from the extremes to take a moderate stance. However, persuasive communication often most strongly affects those who hold a moderate attitude or are undecided. More importantly, barely any research has explicitly aimed at mitigating extreme attitudes and behavioral tendencies. Addressing this gap, this article summarizes research demonstrating that (different types of) intraindividual conflicts might be a means to mitigate polarized attitudes. Goal conflicts, cognitive conflicts, counterfactual thinking, and paradoxical thinking facilitate cognitive flexibility. This, in turn, seems to initiate the consideration of alternative stances and mitigate the polarization of attitudes. We discuss the limitations of the existing research and the potential of this approach for interventions.
File is subject to an embargo until
This is a correction to:
A correction to this entry is available:
This is a new version of:
Notes
Publication license
Publication series
Published in
Current directions in psychological science, 33 (2024), 3, 190-197.
https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214241242452.
ISSN: 1467-8721
Faculty
Institute
Examination date
Supervisor
Edition / version
Citation
DOI
ISSN
ISBN
Language
English
Publisher
Publisher place
Classification (DDC)
300 Social sciences, sociology, and anthropology
Original object
Standardized keywords (GND)
BibTeX
@article{Sassenberg2024,
url = {https://hohpublica.uni-hohenheim.de/handle/123456789/16069},
doi = {10.1177/09637214241242452},
author = {Sassenberg, Kai and Winter, Kevin},
title = {Intraindividual Conflicts Reduce the Polarization of Attitudes},
journal = {Current directions in psychological science},
year = {2024},
volume = {33},
number = {3},
}