Political debate has long been a key component of democratic participation. The ability to articulate one’s views, communicate effectively, and engage in respectful discourse with dissenting opinions fosters understanding of complex issues and helps shape public policy. Yet, in our current climate of heightened political polarization, productive political debate can seem an impossible task.
Whether through face-to-face events, written news coverage, radio or television, Americans have a lot of opportunities to hear from and interact with political candidates. They also participate in their own discussions and debates in the workplace, with friends and family, and in civic education initiatives.
In some countries, politicians who seek to run for higher offices, such as the President or Prime Minister, are required to participate in a series of public debates during their campaigns. These debates are meant to give voters a clearer understanding of the candidates’ positions and help voters decide who to support. But some politicians now opt to eschew these debates for friendlier formats, and research suggests that the decision may be costing voters – and democracy – more than they realize.
As a result, we surveyed participants to ask about their perceptions of how often political debate occurs and what the benefits are of this process. We found that the majority of people misperceive not just how often political debate occurs, but how effective it is. This misperception can make debate appear costly and ineffective, and has been linked to feelings of hopelessness about America’s future.