{"id":144202,"date":"2024-11-14T09:20:15","date_gmt":"2024-11-14T08:20:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/llyc.global\/?p=144202"},"modified":"2024-11-14T09:20:15","modified_gmt":"2024-11-14T08:20:15","slug":"the-psychological-factors-associated-with-polarization","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/llyc.global\/en\/ideas\/uno\/the-psychological-factors-associated-with-polarization\/","title":{"rendered":"The psychological factors associated with polarization"},"content":{"rendered":"

Developmental psychology experts, such as psychiatrist Pablo Malo Ocejo, author of The Dangers of Morality<\/em>, note that humans have a natural tendency to divide the world into \u201cus\u201d and \u201cthem.\u201d This inclination stems from an anthropological constant: since prehistoric times, we have felt safer and more at ease with people from our own \u201ctribe.\u201d<\/p>\n

The society we live in today is much more complex than ancient societies because we have to coexist with diverse groups of people. For many, this presents a challenge, especially for those who are more polarized. These individuals might feel that they can\u2019t date someone who votes for a particular party, that certain newspapers should be avoided because their stance is predictable, or that if someone insults a specific football team, they\u2019re insulting them personally. The \u2018others\u2019 are seen not as complex individuals but reduced to a single trait.<\/p>\n

Polarization takes these ideas to the extreme, fostering hostility toward anyone who doesn\u2019t share one\u2019s identity or values.<\/p>\n

Some people are more prone to psychological polarization due to a combination of individual and social factors, such as rigid cognitive patterns, cognitive biases, identity-shaping experiences during adolescence, pressure from their environments to conform, the need for belonging, and particular personality traits.<\/p>\n

This process doesn\u2019t happen overnight but develops gradually. \u201cPolarized thinking\u201d refers to the dichotomous mindset described by Aaron Beck, which categorizes reality in black-and-white terms without recognizing any middle ground.<\/p>\n

Experts like Fonagy and Bateman call this lowmentalization thinking, as it\u2019s based on the belief that one\u2019s thoughts and feelings are inherently correct.<\/p>\n

Polarized thinking is closely tied to identity formation during adolescence, a critical period when one\u2019s sense of self is often built on ideas that are emotionally charged yet not deeply considered, linked to values, morality, tastes, or ideological opinions. This need for belonging drives the polarization process, where identity is constructed in opposition to others and increasingly relies on having an \u201cenemy.\u201d
\n <\/p>\n

The development of polarized thinking is closely tied to identity formation during a critical stage like adolescence.<\/h5>\n

 
\nWhile polarized thinking can remain dormant at times, it tends to resurface in moments of political or social tension triggered by emotions such as anger or fear. Even when faced with facts, highly polarized individuals resist changing their views, as their identity intertwines with their beliefs.<\/p>\n

Polarized attitudes generally lead to conflict and confrontation. Studies suggest that more polarized individuals tend to be less stable, more insecure, or impulsive, and may lack social cognition or empathy.<\/p>\n

According to the Five-Factor Model of personality, proposed by psychologists Lewis Goldberg and Warren Norman, there are five core dimensions of personality:<\/p>\n