The disappointing (not hateful) divide: uncovering the negative emotions at the heart of affective polarization

Affective polarization (AP), the tendency of opposing ideological groups to experience negative feelings towards each other, is a growing concern in Western democracies. While often discussed in terms of mutual hatred, there is a lack of comprehensive exploration of the discrete emotions underlying AP. As an initial attempt to address this gap, this research investigates the unique association between negative emotions (anger, fear, disgust, contempt, disappointment, and hatred) towards ideological out-group members and AP scores. We argue that, in contrast to the purely negative and destructive nature of hatred, the complex nature of disappointment better captures the dynamics of relations between ideological out-groups. These relations involve not only intense negative feelings but also positive expectations from outgroup members to contribute to the national common good, as fellow citizens. Our research, focusing on horizontal AP between citizens: voters of the Republican and Democratic parties in the US (Studies 1a–1d) and leftists and rightists in Israel (Study 2), identifies disappointment as the strongest and most consistent emotion associated with AP across studies, ideological groups, and measures of emotions. We discuss the implications of adopting a discrete-emotion perspective for understanding AP, its consequences for societies, and its potential to inform strategies for reducing polarization and enhancing democratic and social stability.