The latest campaign season was also filled with divisive language. And, polling data from SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University show that almost half of the U.S. electorate thinks members of the opposing political party are "downright evil."
At the same time, many people are gearing up for holiday conversations with loved ones who may disagree with them — on everything from politics to religion and lifestyle choices.
These divisions are visible in our conversations, in our relationships and in our brains. Neuroscience and psychology research shows that as much as people may disagree, there are ways to bridge these divides:
- Take a breath. Taking a beat can lower the temperature of the conversation and allow you to refocus the conversation around mutual goals of understanding each other.
- Remember empathy. Unlike when both people dig in their heels on their points, it's possible to find common ground when we learn more about a person than their stance on a singular topic.
- Practice intellectual humility and charity. Try to focus on the best points another person makes and remember that all your points aren't perfect either.
Want to hear more neuroscience and psychology? Email us your ideas to shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!
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This episode was produced by Hannah Chinn. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez. It was fact-checked by Tyler Jones and Rachel Carlson. The audio engineer was Patrick Murray.
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