Cheryl Kaiser received an award from the Templeton Foundation for research on the relationship between religious life and affective polarization
Cheryl Kaiser received a 3-year award from the Templeton Foundation for her research titled "Does Living a Religiously Inspired Life Reduce Affective Polarization Through Instilling Virtues of Compassion and Intellectual Humility."
Project abstract: Affective polarization, animosity towards opposing political parties, is at unprecedented levels. As a result, these partisan divides harm social cohesion and prevent people from seeing our common humanity and coming together as family, neighbors, friends, and a nation with a shared purpose. This project integrates the science of character virtues and religion to investigate whether living a life characterized by religion can increase intellectual humility and compassion to decrease affective polarization and encourage cross-party prosocial behavior. We examine these questions with ecological momentary assessment, experimental, and quasi-experimental approaches among multiple religious groups. This project is needed to identify approaches that can increase tolerance and civility in our politically divided nation and promote social cohesion and human flourishing.