Social media and news: No correlation between social media and polarization? Some reasons:
-Social media moderates elite cues
-Ideology sorting mediates social media
-Social media use correlated with outparty thermometer and partisanship

-Composition of the parties: What is the share of respondents who identify with each party? Is there weak partisan attachment?
-Demographic changes: Is it party switching or cohort turnover? How to recent immigrants factor in?

Dr. Juan Morales
-Ideological sorting: Opinion change (parties moving on issues) and party switching (sorting according to ideology)
-Out parties with three parties: Is the out-party the most ideological distant from the others or are all other parties the out party?

The jury is still out?
-False polarization: traditional surveys ask opinions on issues
-Caricatured enemies: Fringe overestimation effect is that we project fringe issues on out-parties
-Social media: Political engagement or opting out
-Consumption v. Trust: Do partisans trust the source of media?

Dr. Anne Wilson: Psychological Reflections and Future Directions
-Left-right divide with most Canadians moderate (more rapid on left than right)
-Affective polarization cause for concern: political animosity can lead to discrimination, censorship, democratic erosion, violence and dehumanization.

Solutions and implications
-Cross-polarization friendship and discussion
-More emphasis on institutions
-Benefits of polarization: civic engagement and political participation

Research Design
-Measuring support for democratic norm violations through six experiments
-Norm violations are supported by respondents if punishes opposition party or in favor of own party

Claim #3 - Motivational Response
-Hostility towards other
-Political siloing
-Hypocrisy on vital issues

Media?
-Fragmented media landscape of polarized outlets
-Opt-out effect
-Mainstream clickbait
-Difficulty in self-reported media consumption
-Legacy media broadcasters (CBC, Global, CTV) draw most viewership
-News consumption isn't driven by partisan outlets

Claim #1: Ideology over social identity
-Strong effect of ideology on partisan hostility

Claim #2: Power of elites
-Parties are polarized, citizens follow through ideological sorting

Dr. Merkley presenting his findings from "Polarization, Eh?", his forthcoming book on affective polarization in Canada.

Main question: Thermometer ratings for opposition parties is at lowest point in recent history. However, LIB and NDP partisans warming, while worse feelings towards CONs. Why?
/2

With a low starting approval rating and unambiguously conservative policies, it would seem that there are reasons to think the thermometer will swing and that the midterm elections will not be pretty for the Republican Party. This explains the push to gerrymander and election oversight strategy. /4

The basic dynamic here is consistent with what is known about the thermostatic model of public opinion developed by Christopher Wlezien (1995). When presidents successfully get partisan legislation adopted , voters subsequently punish the party for going to far (Wlezien 2017). /3

While it is not that uncommon for presidential approval to decline throughout their term, the starting point on inauguration day for Trump was much lower (<10%) than his contemporaries. The “normal” pattern for US presidents is to win the popular vote with at least some bipartisan support. /2

But in a more advanced welfare state that provides more protection, homeowners are aware that as much as they personally profit from rising prices, the economy as a whole suffers. 7.