Barriers to Bridging Divides in the Real World: A Framework for Addressing Challenges in Affective Polarization Intervention Research

Affective polarization is rising across democratic societies, prompting a growing body of research on interventions to reduce partisan animosity. Although these interventions demonstrate promise, their effectiveness often diminishes outside of controlled experimental settings, leaving open questions regarding their durability, scalability, and real-world impact. In this review, we introduce the SCOPE Barriers Framework, highlighting five key challenges facing affective polarization intervention research: Statistical, Cross-disciplinary, Overgeneralization from WEIRD samples, Practical, and Ethical barriers. We argue that these barriers systematically constrain the translation of promising interventions into meaningful societal change. By synthesizing insights across disciplines and evaluating intervention practices through the SCOPE lens, we identify limitations in measurement, generalizability, implementation, and ethical consideration. We conclude by offering recommendations for researchers, practitioners, and institutions to design, evaluate, and deploy interventions that are robust, context-sensitive, and socially responsible. Attending to the SCOPE barriers is essential for advancing polarization research from proof-of-concept to sustained real-world impact.