The New Videomalaise: Effects of Televised Incivility on Political Trust

• Published in: The American political science review Vol. 99; no. 1; pp. 1 - 15
• Main Authors: MUTZ, DIANA C., REEVES, BYRON
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, USA Cambridge University Press 01-02-2005
• Subjects: Attitudes; Behavior; Candidates; Civil society; Civility; Competition; Cynicism; Debate; Discourse; Empirical research; Evidence; Government (Administrative Body); Journalism; Journalists; Laboratory Experiments; Media studies; Negative Attitudes; News media; Opinions; Political Attitudes; Political candidates; Political conflict; Political debate; Political discourse; Political Issues; Political science; Politicians; Politics; Printed Materials; Public Opinion; Public sphere; Regression analysis; Studies; Television; Television networks; Television programs; Television viewers; Trust
• ISSN: 0003-0554; 1537-5943
• DOI: 10.1017/S0003055405051452

Does incivility in political discourse have adverse effects on public regard for politics? If so, why? In this study we present a theory suggesting that when viewers are exposed to televised political disagreement, it often violates well-established face-to-face social norms for the polite expression of opposing views. As a result, incivility in public discourse adversely affects trust in government. Drawing on three laboratory experiments, we find that televised presentations of political differences of opinion do not, in and of themselves, harm attitudes toward politics and politicians. However, political trust is adversely affected by levels of incivility in these exchanges. Our findings suggest that the format of much political television effectively promotes viewer interest, but at the expense of political trust.