Social intolerance as a product of political identities: evidence from a conjoint experiment in five countries

Abstract Do group identities rooted in salient social and political characteristics foster homophily and social distance? If so, which identities shape social preferences more strongly, and under what conditions? While existing literature on affective polarization and inter-group relations privileges particular social and political identities, we know less about the dynamics that unfold when multiple identities are considered simultaneously. Using conjoint experiments in five multiparty systems (Argentina, Chile, Italy, Portugal, and Spain), we find that political identities are generally more influential than social ones among individuals with partisan affinities. This is especially true among left-wing individuals, who display greater social distance to radical right supporters. Our findings suggest that social distance is rooted in political attachments, which may channel salient social divisions.