The Influence of Depolarization Interventions on Perceptual Accuracy: An Experimental Analysis of Issue-Based and Affective Polarization

Recent scholarship has highlighted a significant gap between actual and perceived polarization, wherein citizens overestimate the ideological distance between partisan groups. While it is known that affective polarization distorts these perceptions, there is little evidence on whether reducing this animosity can restore accuracy. This study employs a nationally representative experimental survey in Turkey to test whether targeted depolarization interventions can bridge this perceptual divide. By comparing treatment groups against a control group, we assess the impact of reduced animosity on issue-based polarization. Our findings reveal that the intervention improves perceptual accuracy; however, this perceptual floor is reached more quickly by government supporters. These findings underscore that interventions must account for the different psychological burdens and perceived threats inherent in government and opposition identities to effectively bridge the partisan divide.