Affective polarization refers to

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

First, let's restate the core idea we are evaluating: affective polarization refers to how people feel about members of the opposing party, not just what they believe or how strongly they identify. 
Option 1: Growing dislike/distrust of the out-party. This aligns with the classic definition of affective polarization, which emphasizes negative feelings toward the other side and heightened intergroup hostility in political contexts.
Option 2: Increase in party identification. While stronger party identification reflects partisanship, it does not capture the emotional distance or distrust toward the opposing party that affective polarization emphasizes; it focuses more on loyalty than affect.
Option 3: Large policy gaps between parties. Large policy differences describe issue polarization or ideological divergence, not affective polarization. They concern content of positions rather than emotional attitudes toward the other group.
Option 4: Ideological consistency of voters with their parties. This describes alignment between beliefs and party ideology, which again pertains to cognitive/ideological alignment rather than the affective response to the other party.
In summary, the statement that best captures affective polarization is the one describing growing dislike or distrust of the out-party, because it highlights the emotional and relational dimension between groups rather than beliefs, policy differences, or loyalty alone.

2261 PS 1340 SEC1000 Final Exam

Affective polarization refers to

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