The first annual meeting of the Polarization Research Lab brings together established scholars, graduate students, and community groups for a conference designed to highlight emerging academic work and to develop a network of academics and practitioners focused on the problem of political animosity between partisan groups.

Participation in this event is by invitation only.

Thursday, March 2
Time Content

8:15-8:45 AM

Registration and Breakfast

8:45-9:00 AM

Conference Welcome: Sean Westwood

9:00-9:30 AM

Keynote: Governor of Utah Spencer J. Cox
Introduction: Condoleezza Rice

9:30-10:30 AM

Session 1: “Is Affective Polarization Driven by Identity, Loyalty, or Substance?” Greg Huber
Discussant: Yphtach Lelkes

10:30-10:45 AM

Break

10:45-11:45 AM

Session 2: “Selective Exposure and Partisan Echo Chambers: Evidence from Linked Television Viewership, Administrative, and Survey Data” David Broockman
Discussant: Josh McCrain

11:45 AM-12:45 PM

Session 3: “Subjective and Objective Measurement of Democratic Backsliding” Andrew Little
Discussant: Neil Malhotra

12:45-1:45 PM

Lunch

1:45-2:15 PM

Workshop 1

2:15-2:45 PM

Workshop 2

2:45-3:00 PM

Break

3:00-4:00 PM

Panel:

  • “How Uncertainty May Drive Moderate Voters to Choose Extreme Candidates” Minjae Kim
  • “Undue hate: defining, documenting, and explaining excessive affective polarization” Daniel Stone

4:00-5:00 PM

Session 4: “Cross-Partisan Discussion De-Polarizes White Americans’ Racial Policy Preferences” Emily West
Discussant: Robb Willer

5:00-6:30 PM

Grad Student Poster Gallery / Reception

6:30 PM

Dinner

Friday, March 3
Time Content

8:00-8:30 AM

Breakfast

8:30-9:30 AM

Session 5: “Covering Election Denial: Local Journalists in the 2022 Midterms” Erik Peterson
Discussant: Josh Kalla

9:30-10:30 AM

Session 6: “Correcting Misperceptions and Support for Peace: How Informational Corrections Influence Intergroup Attitudes in Violent Settings” Samara Klar
Discussant: Mo Fiorina

10:30-10:45 AM

Break

10:45-11:45 AM

Session 7: “Megastudy identifying successful interventions to strengthen Americans’ democratic attitudes” Jan Voelkel and Robb Willer
Discussant: Justin Grimmer

11:45 AM-12:15 PM

Lunch Served

12:15-1:15 PM

Lunch Panel

  • Community Presentation: More in Common
  • “Political Meta-Perceptions Drive Us Apart, But Correcting Them Can Bring Us Together” Samantha Moore-Berg
  • “Status Threat, Incivility, and Polarization: Results from the Aftermath of the 2022 Midterms” Bryan Gervais

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