Infoxicated » Feelings? How Affective Polarization and Misinformation Reinforce Each Other in the US and France

Résumé :

This review suggests that affective polarization and mis-/disinformation do not simply unfold side by side but often reinforce one another within a saturated information environment, forming what has been described as a polarization loop. We highlight research distinguishing affective from ideological polarization, alongside increasingly prominent concepts of misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation. We argue that this interaction is exacerbated in “infoxicated” environments, characterized by information overload and the pervasive circulation of false, misleading, or ambiguous political content, which undermines citizens' discernment. We then outline the main mechanisms that connect these phenomena, including social identity and in-group norms, cognitive biases amplified by emotion, incentives for elites and media, and platform designs that reward engagement. Using examples from the United States and France, we identify common psychological and technological dynamics playing out under different political conditions. In the United States, two-party competition and a highly partisan media ecosystem dominate, whereas France features multiparty dynamics withing a centre- periphery media structure. Three themes stand out: the influence of perceived in-group norms, the paradox that greater political sophistication can strengthen partisan-consistent belief, and the way online narratives translate into offline conflict. We conclude by discussing potential interventions. While cross- partisan contact, media literacy, and platform reforms may mitigate these dynamics, isolated measures are unlikely to be sufficient. Breaking the polarization loop requires identity-aware communication strategies and adjustments to recommendation systems capable of reducing informational saturation and gradually rebuilding trust.