A significant majority of Americans believe democracy is seriously threatened, impacting vital aspects of life. Over the past two decades, negative emotions have increased by over 43%, with worry rising the most, correlating with the rise of populism. Political participation is increasingly driven by negative feelings towards opponents, prompting politicians to exploit these emotions. Additionally, the rapid rise of social media has contributed to the dissemination of negative content, further entrenching these cycles of negativity and diminishing trust in democratic institutions.
The strength of democracy impacts many aspects of people's lives, from access to information and trust in the justice system to education and personal happiness.
An increase in population-wide negative emotions predicted an increase in populism, which has been sowing distrust in democratic institutions and fueling democratic decline.
Negative feelings towards political opponents have mobilized political participation more effectively than before, leading politicians to incite negative emotions to attract followers.
Over the past two decades, the use of social media has increased exponentially, contributing to the rise of negative emotions and populism.
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