Political Animosity is Decreased when People Perceive Opponents as Self-Disclosing

Political polarization is driving disconnection and animosity between opponents. We propose that perceptions of self-disclosure between partisans helps reduce this hostility. Building on extensive research demonstrating that self-disclosure fosters interpersonal connections, we test whether political views that seem self-disclosing increase connection, respect, and willingness to interact among opponents. Across six studies, we demonstrate that self-disclosure reduces partisan animosity, through building connection between political opponents. While previous work showed that political discussions based on sharing personal experiences bridge divides better than fact-based discussions, our results indicate this is because of the self-disclosing nature of experiences. Leveraging this, we find many arguments partisans share with each other (e.g., facts) can improve connection and reduce animosity when they are perceived as self-disclosing (tested through manipulating self-disclosure). By highlighting the power of self-disclosure, our findings offer a promising path toward bridging political divides.