Political Polling and Polarization: Understanding Decision-Making and Identity Formation

Explore the complexities of political polarization and decision-making in this thought-provoking podcast episode from the Santa Fe Institute's COMPLEXITY series. Delve into the nuanced world of public opinion polling, cognitive biases, and social identity formation with SFI researchers Vicky Yang and Henrik Olsson. Examine the apparent divide in American politics and discover how new behavioral models suggest a more moderate reality. Investigate the role of cognitive biases in creating artificial divisions and learn how the two-party system impacts political polarization. Gain insights into leveraging network understanding for improved political polling and prediction. Reflect on the distinctions between personal values and group affiliations. Consider the effectiveness of the American two-party system in fostering a cohesive republic. Access additional resources, including related research papers and previous podcast episodes, to further explore social cognition and collective decision-making.