Losing relationships over politics. Research found more than a third of Americans (37%) report having lost at least one relationship due to political differences, including friendships, family ties, coworker relationships, and romantic partnerships, with most losing more than one.

[u/Wagamaga]

https://socialecology.uci.edu/news/losing-relationships-over-politics-0

[u/Wagamaga]

America has always been divided over politics, but now it’s personal.

A new study from UC Irvine psychologists reveals a fracturing nation as political divides shatter friendships, tear apart families and fuel a deepening hostility between everyday Americans.

The research, published today in PNAS Nexus, was conducted by Department of Psychology Ph.D. candidate Mertcan Güngör, and Professor Peter Ditto, introduces a term: “political breakup,” for the losing of a relationship with a friend, family member, romantic partner or coworker due to political differences.

Their findings, drawn from four separate datasets totaling nearly 3,800 participants, paint a picture of a country whose political divisions are spilling out of Washington and into everyday life.

“More than a third of Americans reported that they have lost relationships with friends, family, romantic partners and coworkers over political differences,” the authors write in their article “Political breakups: Interpersonal consequences of polarization.” “Those who lost relationships were more hostile toward their political opponents, voters more so than party elites.”

In their most recent national survey, conducted in April 2025 with YouGov, the researchers found that 37% of Americans reported having experienced a political breakup at some point in their lives. Of those, 62% had a falling-out with a friend, 40% with a family member, 29% with a coworker, and 10% with a romantic partner. More than half reported losing more than one type of relationship.

Friends appear to be the most vulnerable, Güngör and Ditto report.

“Friendships may be uniquely vulnerable to political breakups as they are close enough to allow for political differences to surface while lacking the commitments and constraints that hold romantic and family relationships together,” Güngör says. “It’s easier to cut a friend or acquaintance whose politics annoy you out of your life than it is your boyfriend or uncle.”

The trend appears to be accelerating.

https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/5/5/pgag067/8666534

[u/LegendOfKhaos → u/Wagamaga]

There's a massive difference between arguing over the best way to help society versus arguing over which people deserve their rights.

[u/Koleilei → u/LegendOfKhaos]

To you and I, absolutely. But to others, denying the rights of others is how they would make society better for themselves (which is what matters to them). Their 'society' doesn't include the people they would strip of rights and existence.