Election 2024: Campaign for Connection
Welcome to Campaign for Connection—a initiative from the Greater Good Science Center’s Bridging Differences program at UC Berkeley, designed to help Americans navigate the stress and conflict of this election year.
Research shows that three out of four Americans want to live in a less polarized, more united country, but our current political climate is pushing us further apart, threatening our well-being, relationships, and the foundations of our democracy.
This campaign is designed to help us navigate these divisive times with practical, research-backed skills. From humanizing those we disagree with to listening with compassion and finding shared identities–while staying true to our own–our goal is to foster deeper understanding and collaboration across our differences.
We invite you to put the science of human connection into practice, by using the skills below to transform division into opportunities for deeper connection.
Our Bridging Differences featured skills:
Skill #1: Focus on Individuality, Not Group Identity: According to research when we view people in terms of their own individual tastes and preferences, we feel less threatened by those who might seem “not like us.”
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Skill #2: Seek and Promote Counter-Stereotypical Information: Challenge yourself to go beyond common stereotypes. Engage with someone from a different group, or explore content that reveals unexpected narratives. This practice not only broadens your perspective but also strengthens connections by replacing superficial judgments with real-world insights.
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Skill #3: Listen with Compassion: Studies find that when we feel listened to during disagreements, we feel more socially connected to our conversation partners and can see our views more objectively. Research also shows that high-quality listening makes people more open-minded, less defensive and less focused on their self-interests.
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Skill #4: Perspective Taking: Perspective taking can help us appreciate where others are coming from—all while holding firm to our own views. When you find it difficult to relate to someone’s viewpoint, try asking yourself, “What experiences might have shaped their views?” By considering this question—even if you don’t engage directly with the other person—you can broaden your perspective. With gained understanding, you may invite them into a conversation.
Note: No one should take the perspective of a group that dehumanizes them. Respect and acceptance need to be present.
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Skill #5 Finding Shared Identities: Even when someone seems different from you, chances are you can find at least one important identity you have in common-it could be a group both belong to (you're both Midwesterners) or a role you share (you're both parents). Often those shared identities are bigger and more significant than our differences.
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