Underestimated Empathy, Overattributed Schadenfreude: Emotional Pathways to Affective Polarization and Political Violence

Among 194 Democrats and 193 Republicans responding to a political shooting, both parties exhibited substantial misperceptions of empathy. Republicans underestimated Democrats’ empathy and overattributed schadenfreude, whereas Democrats believed Republicans saw them as less empathic and more schadenfreude-prone. These reciprocal misperceptions predicted support for political violence.