Incivility in the Eye of the Beholder: Identity Moderates Incivility Perceptions

• In Event: Don't Be Cruel: Incivility in Media and Campaigns

Abstract

Many worry that uncivil discourse can undermine democratic processes. Yet, what exactly does it mean for discourse to be uncivil? I argue that there is systematic variation in perceptions of incivility based on the target of the speech. Specifically, I show—via a conjoint survey experiment—that White Americans are less likely to view statements directed at Blacks as uncivil but more likely to perceive incivility when the target is a woman or a co-partisan. The results have implications not only for understanding incivility (and the problem with making broad statements about it) but also for the impact of identity on political communication norms.

Author

• Sam Gubitz, Kent Denver School