This research written by Philip M.Fernbach (Associate Professor of Marketing) and LeafVan Boven (Professor of Psychology) discusses “false polarization” and its impact on American politics. Here is the abstract:

While political polarization in the United States is real, intense and increasing, partisans consistently overestimate its magnitude. This “false polarization” is insidious because it reinforces actual polarization and inhibits compromise. We review empirical research on false polarization and the related phenomenon of negative meta-perceptions, and we propose three cognitive and affective processes that likely contribute to these phenomena: categorical thinking, oversimplification and emotional amplification. Finally, we review several interventions that have shown promise in mitigating these biases.

Here is a link to the article information page and abstract in Science Direct.