Professor Selin Malkoc from The Ohio State University presented research exploring whether Democrats and Republicans are symmetrically polarised in their social interactions, such as dating, friendships, and teamwork decisions. Through a series of studies, she examined how political affiliation shapes people’s willingness to engage with those from the opposing party. Her findings revealed that while both sides show partisan bias, Democrats were generally less willing than Republicans to interact with political outgroup members, although they were not more inclined to interact within their own group. Moreover, Democrats appeared to perceive political identity as more diagnostic of personality and values, suggesting that they may rely more on political cues when forming impressions of others.

One key insight that stood out was how partisan identity influences even personal and everyday choices - from dating preferences to filtering profiles on dating apps, where many participants chose to exclude those with differing political beliefs. Professor Malkoc also highlighted that countering stereotypes could help reduce this polarisation, particularly among Democrats. Personally, what resonated most was the implication that political identity now functions almost like a social boundary, shaping not just opinions but also interpersonal connections and consumer behaviour - showing how deeply politics has permeated private and social life.