Consensus and polarization
Chapter 36 of the CLEP American Government study guide on Effortless Math covers Consensus and polarization: the key terms, the core ideas, and worked examples showing how this topic is tested on the exam.
CLEP American Government, Chapter 36
Consensus and polarization
Consensus is broad agreement. Polarization is separation into opposing camps, usually with greater distance between them and fewer positions in the middle. A close vote establishes division, not necessarily polarization.
The full distribution supplies the evidence. A single average or a two-category tally can hide whether opinions cluster near the center, spread evenly, or gather at opposing extremes.
Measure policy distance, concentration at the ends, alignment across issues, and change over time. Keep mass opinion, elite positions, partisan sorting, and affective dislike conceptually separate.
Two counties can each divide 50-50 on a spending proposal. In one, nearly everyone chooses "slightly favor" or "slightly oppose." In the other, nearly everyone chooses "strongly favor" or "strongly oppose." The vote shares match, but the second county has more policy polarization because its camps are farther apart and its middle is thin. A graph with all response categories reveals the difference.
Video lesson: Public Opinion: Crash Course Government and Politics #33
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