Research on growing American political polarization and antipathy primarily studies effects on public institutions and political processes, ignoring private effects such as damaged family ties. Using smartphone-tracking data and precinct-level voting, we show that politically-divided families shortened Thanksgiving dinners by 20-30 minutes following the divisive 2016 election . This decline survives comparisons with 2015 and extensive demographic and spatial controls, and more than doubles in media markets with heavy political advertising . These effects appear asymmetric: while Democratic voters traveled less in 2016  , political differences shortened Thanksgiving dinners more among Republican voters, especially where political advertising was heaviest. Partisan polarization may degrade close family ties with large aggregate implications; we estimate 27 million person-hours of cross-partisan Thanksgiving discourse were lost in 2016 to ad-fueled partisan effects.
Research on growing American political polarization and antipathy primarily studies public institutions and political processes, ignoring private effects including strained family ties. Using anonymized smartphone-location data and precinct-level voting, we show that Thanksgiving dinners attended by opposing-party precinct residents were 30-50 minutes shorter than same-party dinners . This decline from a mean of 257 minutes survives extensive spatial and demographic controls. Dinner reductions in 2016 tripled for travelers from media markets with heavy political advertising --- an effect not observed in 2015 --- implying a relationship to election-related behavior. Effects appear asymmetric: while fewer Democratic-precinct residents traveled in 2016 than 2015 , political differences shortened Thanksgiving dinners more among Republican-precinct residents. Nationwide, 34 million person-hours of cross-partisan Thanksgiving discourse were lost in 2016 to partisan effects.
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effects on
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such as damaged
including strained
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smartphone-tracking
anonymized smartphone-location
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politically-divided families shortened Thanksgiving dinners by 20-30 minutes following the divisive 2016 election
Thanksgiving dinners attended by opposing-party precinct residents were 30-50 minutes shorter than same-party dinners
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survives comparisons with 2015 and extensive demographic and spatial controls, and more than doubles in
from a mean of 257 minutes survives extensive spatial and demographic controls. Dinner reductions in 2016 tripled for travelers from
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. These effects
--- an effect not observed in 2015 --- implying a relationship to election-related behavior. Effects
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Democratic voters traveled less
fewer Democratic-precinct residents traveled
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than 2015
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Republican voters, especially where political advertising was heaviest. Partisan polarization may degrade close family ties with large aggregate implications; we estimate 27
Republican-precinct residents. Nationwide, 34
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ad-fueled