How Everyday Americans Can Help Create a Healthier Politics

Recognize perception gaps—and follow the “three N’s.”

Americans hold more power than they think when it comes to improving the country’s political discourse and repairing our civic fabric. Every individual—from rich to poor, liberal to conservative, activist to “normie”—can play a role. At our organization, More Like US, we have developed a simple framework for action called the three N’s: Neighborhoods, Networks, and Nation, representing the different levels at which Americans can do their part.

Many Americans hold distorted views of their fellow citizens, sometimes called “perception gaps,” which can convince people that members of the other “side” are more extreme, threatening, and unwilling to engage than they actually are. But perception doesn’t have to be reality, and More Like US works to narrow these gaps at each of the three levels.

From everyday conversations in local communities (Neighborhoods), to influence within professional and social circles (Networks), to national platforms capable of shaping culture and public opinion (Nation), each level matters for correcting our misperceptions of each other across the political divide. Even Americans who don’t consciously think about perception gaps on a daily basis as much as we do should find this framework valuable.

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Perception gaps are both widespread and deeply damaging. As The Liberal Patriot’s Michael Baharaeen compellingly outlined in a recent piece, these include ideological misperceptions that distort our understanding of where people actually stand on major policy issues.

Other forms of perception gaps include conversational misperceptions and exaggerated perceptions of threat. Many Americans believe that cross-partisan conversations are likely to go poorly when, in reality, they often go better than expected. The research group More in Common, which coined the “perception gap” term, found that people vastly overestimate the share of those in the opposing party who condone hostility in political dialogue.

Perhaps most troubling is the overestimation of threat. Americans see those on the other side of the political divide as much more willing to dehumanize them, break democratic norms, win at all costs even if society is harmed, or condone political violence than they actually are. Americans also have a growing tendency to describe those on the other side in moralistic or absolutist terms like “immoral” or “closed-minded.”

These misperceptions matter. They reduce both the frequency and quality of civil discourse, making people less willing to engage and more likely to assume those conversations will be hostile or futile. They also contribute to broader political dysfunction, including support for combative candidates over collaborative ones, increased tolerance for misinformation and norm-breaking on their “side,” and even greater support for authoritarianism and censorship.

And yet, there is reason for hope. Research led by Stanford’s Strengthening Democracy Challenge showed that interventions focused on correcting these misperceptions were among the most effective at reducing partisan animosity, support for political violence, and anti-democratic attitudes. In fact, two of the top three performing interventions directly addressed exaggerated views of political threat. These findings were echoed in a major Nature article, which identified correcting misperceptions as a primary strategy for improving the country’s political environment.

To start fixing political distortions, individuals raise awareness of the fact that Americans are more similar—and less threatening to each other—across the political spectrum than many believe. These messages can be shared at the levels of Neighborhoods, Networks, and the Nation. Each is discussed in turn below.

Neighborhoods

The first and most accessible level of impact is Neighborhoods: our everyday conversations with those around us. Most conversations are likely to occur between people who generally agree with each other about politics, given the nature of friendships across politics and geographical separation by politics. But, perhaps surprisingly, these exchanges can be really meaningful for changing views of those in the other party.

Imagine, for example, that a friend or neighbor you generally agree with politically starts making sweeping, moralistic claims about people in the other political party. This can be a perfect moment to interject: “You know, the voters in the other party aren’t as different from us as we think.”

The response you elicit might be skepticism, but there are good ways to meet it. As NYU social psychologist Jonathan Haidt writes, “The human mind is a story processor, not a logic processor.” Sharing a personal story, such as one about a family member, coworker, or acquaintance who breaks the partisan mold, can make a far stronger impression than, say, statistics. These stories don’t even have to be political. They can center on shared roles, like being a parent, or common passions, like rooting for the same sports team.

If the person is open to data, pointing them toward More Like US’s Similarity Hub and AllSides, which identifies over 700 areas of agreement across the political spectrum, can be helpful. Or share some of the basic findings from More in Common’s report on perception gaps, which revealed that Americans estimate there are twice as many people with extreme political views in the other party as there actually are.

Networks

The second level of influence lies within our Networks—the professional, educational, religious, and social circles we often navigate. These networks offer powerful opportunities to broaden the reach of messages similar to those that can work at the neighborhood scale. Below is a sampling of networks, along with resources from More Like US and other non-profits that may help:

• Religious leaders: They can speak to this finding during a sermon or community event. Organizations like the One America Movement and The After Party provide materials that make these messages easier to communicate in faith settings and beyond.

• Journalists: Sharing resources such as the Similarity Hub and encouraging the inclusion of data about cross-partisan agreement in news stories can shift public narratives. Groups like Trusting News and Hearken offer tools specifically for journalists.

• Schools and universities: More Like US offers a lesson plan designed to introduce the concept of perception gaps, and organizations like the CivXNow Coalition, Campus Compact, and the Institute for Citizens and Scholars are already working to foster civil discourse in education.

• Civic leaders, entertainers, and even local artists: They can also be asked to share these messages in their own voice.

There are also online networks where the same ideas can be further amplified. Social media platforms provide space to address misperceptions about ideological extremism, conversational hostility, and political threat.

For those looking to create content, More Like US offers a mnemonic, CAST, that invites us to reframe our view of fellow Americans across politics as more Complex, Admirable, Similar, and deserving of Togetherness than we have been led to believe. Whether by sharing an infographic, producing a short video, or simply encouraging others to do so, each act of creativity has the potential to ripple through networks and help rebuild a more accurate and generous picture of who our fellow Americans really are.

Nation

The last level is Nation. Admittedly, a smaller number of Americans have the ability to shape public understanding on a much larger scale. Most people will not operate on this plane, but for those who can—whether through media, culture, politics, or organizing—their impact can be significant.

Many of the same ideas from the Network level still apply, but at a larger scale. Just as someone might share a message with a local pastor or artist, others might be able to reach a national faith leader, entertainer, or public figure with a massive audience. What changes is the reach—not the core message.

Beyond this, there is a separate category of social entrepreneurial organizations that are looking to have national-level impact (a category that includes More Like US). Social entrepreneurs don’t just share a message; they build organizations and aim to change systems that affect how Americans see one another.

To provide guidance for potential social entrepreneurs, More Like US has developed a structure that improves the political environment in the US, involving adding trust and subtracting factors that diminish it.

More Like US focuses primarily on adding horizontal trust, which forms between people across political divides. But there’s also a need for more work toward adding vertical trust, between the American public and their institutions as well as those with more power or status.

It’s also important to subtract factors that diminish trust. Some of the work at the national level involves dissuading people from using language or strategies that make us see each other in more distorted ways. There is also a need for changing the incentives of systems that reward division, such as social media algorithms, political incentives, and even certain funding structures. Division currently generates more attention, more followers, and more money, so national leaders and organizations have to find ways to flip those incentives.

How other organizations can adopt the three N’s

In contrast with More Like US, most other organizations doing depolarization work tend to focus more on inward-facing approaches. These range from fully internal practices, such as developing a more balanced media diet, to outward activities oriented toward internal outcomes—most often cultivating an increased understanding of political “others” through conversation.

AllSides, for example, provides tools to help readers identify and broaden their exposure to diverse political perspectives in the media. Braver Angels, StoryCorps’ One Small Step, and Living Room Conversations all facilitate structured interactions between people of different political backgrounds, often with an emphasis on listening, empathy, and dialogue.

For some people, inward efforts may serve as a necessary foundation before engaging with others in a more public fashion. Still, all of these inward approaches fit within the three N’s framework. For instance, reading a broader set of news sources can alter one’s understanding of their Neighborhood, Network, and Nation, and dialogue-based programs correspond naturally to the Neighborhood level and may extend into new Networks.

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Americans hold a lot of power when it comes to improving the political climate. The key is realizing that perception is not the same as reality—most people are simply not as extreme, threatening, or unwilling to engage as we often assume. Recognizing that difference matters because perception gaps quietly shape the choices we make. They influence who we talk to, how we vote, how we act in non-political ways, and how optimistic or pessimistic we are about the state of the country and its future.

The good news is that perception gaps can be fixed. Research has shown that addressing them reduces hostility, lowers support for political violence, and strengthens democratic attitudes. It may seem surprising, but a single conversation in a neighborhood, a resource shared in a network, or a message echoed at the national level can all help move the needle.

The three N’s provide a practical structure for taking action and, importantly, they don’t prescribe one path. Some people might start by sharing a story with a friend; others might encourage community leaders to speak with less hostility toward their opponents; a few might even build new organizations or systems to support change. These practices can work in tandem with more inward-facing approaches, like diversifying one’s news media diet or engaging in structured conversations across divides, as recommended by other organizations working toward similar goals.

Regardless of how one does it, what matters is taking the first step. Political differences will never completely disappear, nor should they. But for anyone who cares about the future of the country, it’s important we do our part to help create perceptions of each other that are more accurate, more generous, and ultimately less damaging.

James Coan is Co-Founder and Executive Director of More Like US. Imre Huss is a More Like US intern.