A Network Analysis of Political Incivility Dimensions

• In Event: ICA Interactive Paper/Poster Session II
  In Interactive Paper Session: Political Communication Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

Although uncivil political discourse has increasingly become an object of study for mass communication and political science researchers, there exists precious little consensus on what is and what is not uncivil discourse. Therefore, the goal of this study was to draw upon established empirical operationalizations of incivility as a means of better understanding how the various features of uncivil talk relate to one another. The results of a regularized partial correlation network indicated the most central nodes in the variable network were the self-reported desire to exclude political opponents from deliberation and the desire to discredit one’s perceived political opponents. Conversely, the results suggested that use of threat and the purposeful attempt to undermine faith in the democratic system were the least central nodes.

Author

• Tobias M Hopp, U of Colorado Boulder