Social Distance and Political Affiliations in Israel : A Random Effects Within-Between Model Analysis

This research examines the drivers of attitudes toward political affiliations and other individual characteristics in Israel, utilizing a recent survey conducted between 2019 and 2021. The study employs a Random Effects Within-Between (REWB) model to simultaneously estimate the effect of independent variables on the dependent variable both within and between individuals across different waves. The REWB model design allows for the simultaneous estimation of the within and between effects of the independent variable on the dependent variable, accounting for intrinsic disparities between factions and the correlation between group factors and time-invariant predictors. The study results indicate that social distance between political parties is decreasing over time, with significant negative associations between social distance and higher income, better education, and stronger average political support. Additionally, the study found that women are more likely than men to distance themselves from different opinions and that left-leaning individuals are less likely to socially distance other political opinions compared to right-leaning individuals. The findings of this study contribute to the existing literature on social acceptance in Israel and beyond, providing insights into the factors that shape attitudes toward political affiliations and other individual characteristics. The results of this study have implications for understanding the developments in public opinion and society, especially in democratic countries where there is an erosion in social and government trust and polarization. The study also highlights the need for further research to better understand the temporal trend in Israel and the causes of the overall reduction in social distance. Additionally, psychological studies could deepen the understanding of why women strongly reject different political opinions and why various levels and types of religiosities have diverse impacts on social acceptance. Furthermore, new surveys and questionnaires should also differentiate the social distance variable between different types of people in society to better understand how individuals change their attitudes based on the political involvement of others