Causes of Polarization: Unmet Needs and High Emotional Arousal

Below the surface, our actions are motivated by basic innate needs.

These needs are both material and emotional, and drive much of our behaviour—even apparently complex actions. These include the need for food, water, shelter, security, autonomy, status, belonging, intimacy, privacy, attention, achievement and meaning.

When these needs are met in a balanced manner, people are calmer and more likely to become healthily fulfilled. If they are not, high emotional states, including anxiety, depression and aggression can set in. Social and cultural contexts can affect our ability to have these needs met. For example, too much screen time can lead to isolation, a lack of intimacy and belonging, and then, anxiety.

Political decisions, and policy in turn, affect socio-cultural context. A world that puts too much emphasis on ideology or technological progress over human needs will lead to nervous citizens who are more prone to latch on to any apparent solution to their problems, including more extreme and polarizing political leaders and ideas.

With this underlying factor, and others mentioned in the previous posts, in mind, we can look at some of the secondary causes of polarization.

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Read our next post in the series: Causes of Polarization: Rural-Urban Divide and the Role of Elites.