Partisan warmth shifts only matter if they alter downstream democratic behavior.

Evidence

One way to contextualize these findings is to assess their instrumental value: Do shifts in partisan affect lead to changes in other attitudes and behaviors of democratic concern? While reducing animosity may be a worthy goal in itself, its broader societal impact depends on its capacity to influence these downstream outcomes. We therefore turn to estimating the potential effect of a 5.4-point increase in out-party warmth on outcomes such as support for democratic norms, social tolerance, and political violence. — Derek E. Holliday, Yphtach Lelkes, and Sean J. Westwood, Why Depolarization Is Hard, 36

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Derek E. Holliday, Yphtach Lelkes, and Sean J. Westwood, Why Depolarization Is Hard: Evaluating…, 36
• XREF: connects to: Depolarization interventions produce only modest temporary effects on partisan animosity. — Derek E. Holliday, Yphtach Lelkes, and Sean J. Westwood, Why Depolarization Is Hard: Evaluating…, 3; Even ideal depolarization gains barely move downstream democratic attitudes. — Derek E. Holliday, Yphtach Lelkes, and Sean J. Westwood, Why Depolarization Is Hard: Evaluating…, 40; Negative identification against radical-right parties can raise democratic satisfaction. — Sabrina J. Mayer and Luana Russo, What one is not: a new scale to measure…, 96

Broader Connections

• Negative identification against radical-right parties can raise democratic satisfaction. #exemplifies (0.72) — Sabrina J. Mayer and Luana Russo, What one is not, 96