DEveloping POLARIZation Interventions based on Empathy

Although numerous philosophical approaches to reducing social polarization have been proposed, there has been a lack of empirical research on their effectiveness and on understanding the mechanisms of depolarization. Our project addresses current research gaps and develops a practice-oriented toolkit for depolarization that is widely applicable in society. The focus is on promoting empathy and perspective-taking across political divides, as these approaches have proven to be particularly promising and scalable. In addition, other mechanisms such as stereotype reduction and the promotion of reflexivity are being explored.

As part of a three-phase collaborative process (design & development, application & revision, finalization & dissemination), prototypical interventions are first developed, tested in field studies and survey experiments, and then prepared as a scientifically supported toolkit. We are cooperating with the Open Society Initiative and involving a wide range of social actors, for example through practical events in highly polarized regions of Germany such as Thuringia and Saxony.

The aim of the project is to identify the psychosocial mechanisms that effectively promote depolarization, to develop appropriate tools based on these mechanisms, and to empirically test their effectiveness. The resulting toolkit will be made available to the public free of charge, disseminated through workshops and public relations work, and published scientifically. In this way, the project makes an innovative contribution to reducing social polarization in various contexts and supports civil society, education, and culture in promoting constructive social dialogue.