With the next presidential election on the horizon, and the country seemingly irreparably divided along partisan lines, researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign wanted to look into how it’s affecting our relationships.
Specifically, the scientists examined American couples who hold opposing political viewpoints.
In the small study, conducted with 67 participants, the researchers began to see patterns developing as to how the couples are coping.
News coverage is a major trigger, the scientists found.
Some couples have found compromise works, with one pairing in particular dividing their news watching along party lines and timelines: She gets to watch CNN during the day, and he gets to watch more conservative outlets at night.
However, others are finding that compromise is “especially difficult,” according to communications professor Emily Van Duyn, who interviewed the subjects.
“Deciding which media to consume and whether to do so together or separately was difficult because it presented them with a choice about recognizing their political differences and finding a way to navigate them,” she explained.
Their choice of news outlet in particular “activated differences between partners that would have otherwise remained hidden, ultimately sparking conflict,” the researchers noted.
Some chose to consume their preferred content secretly, while others unplugged from the news altogether for the sake of the relationship — and the individuals’ own mental health.