Research shows the increasing tendency of political considerations to influence decisions outside the context of politics. This work documents examples of partisan affiliation influencing judgments and behaviors – and often resulting in favoritism or discrimination – in ostensibly nonpolitical contexts such as the workplace, academia, and dating, among others. To date, the focus has largely been on demonstrating these phenomena, while less attention has been paid to the nature, causes, and consequences of such “spillover.” I address this gap in three ways. First, scholars commonly attribute partisan bias in social and economic decisions to affective distaste for members of the other party. However, in some settings political affiliation may serve primarily as a cue for other (nonpolitical) factors. I rule out this alternative explanation and show that partisan affiliation has a strong independent effect on at least one kind of social decision, even when accounting for a host of other related nonpolitical factors. Second, prior work asserts that a general lack of relevant social norms allows politics to influence nonpolitical decision-making -- but this has yet to be tested. Furthermore, no effort has established the range of situations that ordinary people see as acceptable venues for political matters, or the factors that influence these views. I find that people have clear ideas about where and when it is appropriate to make nonpolitical decisions on the basis of partisanship -- and further show that social norms are a significant constraining factor. Third and finally, I examine the consequences of spillover. When political considerations influence nonpolitical judgments or behaviors, it can have meaningful effects on partisan identification and polarization for those involved. All told, I find that political identities (and not just their correlates) sometimes influence nonpolitical judgments and interactions; that the social context and perceived social norms constrain the spillover of political considerations into such matters; and that spillover may be self-limiting in that it appears to diminish partisan identification and reduce partisan polarization when it does occur.

Creator

• Shafranek, Richard M

DOI

• https://doi.org/10.21985/n2-sfvr-s386

Subject

• Political science

Language

• en

Alternate Identifier

• http://dissertations.umi.com/northwestern:15356
• etdadmin_upload_774386

Keyword

• political psychology
• polarization
• partisanship
• American politics

Date created

• 2020-01-01

Resource type

• Dissertation

Rights statement

• In Copyright