Description
Book SynopsisDisrespectful Democracy offers a new account of the relationship between incivility and political behavior based on a key individual predisposition—conflict orientation. Drawing on a range of original surveys and experiments, Emily Sydnor contends that the rise of incivility in political media has transformed political involvement.
Trade ReviewDisrespectful Democracy is the book our field has been waiting for. By integrating the concept of "conflict orientation" into the study of why different people respond in different ways to political media, Emily Sydnor has placed political psychology exactly where it belongs: at the heart of political communication research. -- Dannagal G. Young, author of
Irony and Outrage: The Polarized Landscape of Rage, Fear, and Laughter in the U.S.Scholars, pundits, and citizens all worry about incivility in politics. Is it bad for democracy? How does it affect citizens? This book is a giant step forward in unraveling the impact of incivility. It explains how people react differently and the democratic implications of these reactions. -- James N. Druckman, Northwestern University
There is much we can learn from this timely and thoughtful book. It provides a much needed deep dive into the psychological underpinnings of conflict orientation and responses to mediated incivility, revealing critical insights about their important—but previously overlooked—effects on political participation and engagement. -- Johanna Dunaway, Texas A&M University
With this important contribution, Emily Sydnor untangles the complex ways that political incivility shapes political engagement, proffering important evidence that one-size-fits-all assumptions about how we react to political toxicity are misguided and misleading. A key read for anyone interested in promoting healthy democracy. -- Sarah Sobieraj, coauthor of
The Outrage Industry: Political Opinion Media and the New IncivilityInteresting, accessible, timely, focused, and succinct. . . . Carefully argued and methodologically sound, this volume offers fascinating insights on a topic relevant to a moment rife with disagreement, thoughtfully considering the value of both civility and incivility for the survival of democracy in the twenty-first century. * Choice *
There is no doubt this volume is a game-changer for the study of political incivility; going forward, I expect that consideration of heterogeneous effects will become the norm. For scholars of political psychology and communication, as well as those looking to add new and innovative research to course syllabi,
Disrespectful Democracy is highly recommended. * International Journal of Press / Politics *
An important and thorough examination of conflict orientation as a key determinant of behavior in a hostile media environment. * Political Science Quarterly *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
1. Integrating the Political and the Psychological
2. The Political Psychology of Conflict Communication
3. To Laugh or Cry? Emotional Responses to Incivility
4. Choosing Outrage: Selective Exposure and Information Search
5. Mimicry and Temper Tantrums: Political Discussion and Engagement
6. A More Disrespectful Democracy?
Appendix A: Additional Study Information
Appendix B: Statistical Models and Results
Notes
References
Index
