Date Presented

Spring 5-2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Political Science

First Advisor

Dr. Timothy Meinke

Second Advisor

Dr. Daniel Lang

Third Advisor

Dr. Nichole Sanders

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to further understand polarization in the American elites and electorate. Scholars disagree whether the levels of polarization that Americans experience today is unprecedented, both in America’s elected officials and the public. The research will quantify the levels of polarization that the elite and the masses are experience from 1980 to 2016. Then, the research will compare the levels in the elites from recent times to the past going back to 1953. Lastly, the research will attempt to explain why polarization is occurring in the American electorate. Polarization will be looked at through the lenses of sorting and social identity theory. The research presented in this paper will add to the current literature surrounding this topic in several ways. First, it includes the 2016 election cycle data. The research updates the work of pervious scholars as they did not have access to this data. Secondly, it provides a retrospective analysis of elite polarization. Lastly, following Mason’s (2013; 2015) example, the research uses a new way to analyze variables in the program, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences or SPSS. During the analysis, many variables were combined to make them easier to investigate and use in the program of SPSS. This asses to the literature because it provides a simple way to analyze many variables with in the American National Election Studies or ANES data that is used for this research.

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