Key points

According to research, partisans wildly overestimate opponents' support for violence.

Motive attribution asymmetry distorts perceptions, fueling conflict.

High empathy individuals can show bias, siding with their political camp over opponents' suffering.

Imagine a college rally where a controversial speaker is shut down by angry protesters. In the scuffle, someone in the audience gets hit with a sign. If you heard this story, how would you react? Would you condemn the protesters for trampling free speech, or applaud them for silencing hate? Would you feel sympathy for the injured attendee, or dismiss their pain as deserved?

Researchers presented this very scenario to students . The results revealed something troubling: people high in empathy—those who usually feel compassi

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