Abstract
Using the Reinforcing Spirals Model as a framework, this study investigates how partisan media use and political discussion influence both stability and change in partisan identity strength. An intensive longitudinal survey (N = 268, T = 22) revealed that in-party communication promotes stability by reducing variability in identity strength, while also contributing to identity maintenance over time. In the absence of identity-affirming communication, stronger partisan identities exhibited a tendency to decay. Non-affirming communication, in contrast, was associated with increased variability in identity strength. These findings suggest that communication plays a dual role: it both maintains existing identities and introduces potential for change. By examining these processes over weeks rather than longer intervals, this research reveals patterns that may be obscured in designs with longer lags between measurements. The study advances our understanding of how media and discussion regulate partisan identity, showing the relationships between communication patterns and identity dynamics.
