Researchers who study political division talk about three kinds of polarization. The first is ideological polarization, due to actual policy disagreements between people. The second is affective polarization, due to growing animosity between people in either party. And the third is “perceived” or “false” polarization, the “degree to which partisans overestimate the ideological division between their side and their opponents.” Ideological polarization is based on reason. Affective polarization is based on feelings. But false polarization? That’s just based on a lie.
