Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Publication Date

Spring 2023

College

Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, College of

Department

Political Science, Department of

BURS Faculty Advisor

Dr. Nathan Griffith

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Abstract

The political divide in the American electorate seems to have increased in recent times. In order to address and hopefully mend the division we need to look deeper into the causes of political polarization. Religiosity, media usage, class, and location all play roles in this equation and the goal is to see which factor is more divisive. Are religiously active people more polarized than others? The idea of perception vs reality also arises in this discussion, but based on moral alignments with candidates and issues, I presume that the most polarizing factor is religiosity. Using survey data from the American National Election Studies 2020 Time Series Study, I will determine if this is true and that the split within the American electorate is due to the religiosity of an individual. The idea behind this study is that if a person is more active in their religious practices, then they will in turn feel farther apart from opposing political views. Hence, the reason behind the political divide in America today.

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