@article{2019:lck:incivility,
title = {Incivility in user comments on online news articles: Investigating the role of opinion dissonance for the effects of incivility on attitudes, emotions and the willingness to participate},
year = {2019},
note = {Online discussions in comment sections on news websites often do not
follow deliberative standards but are instead marked by uncivil
expressions of disaffirmation and frustration. This study investigates
the effects uncivil statements can have on readers of those comments,
especially when the opinion expressed in that comment is contrary to
their beliefs. In an online experiment embedded in an online survey
427 participants were confronted with a neutral news article that was
accompanied by either civil or uncivil user comments that supported or
opposed their own opinions (2×2 between-subject design). Articles and
commentaries dealt with the refugee question in Germany. The research
focuses on readers’ open-mindedness, willingness to talk to the
other side, attitude certainty, moral indignation and willingness to
participate in online and offline activities when being exposed to
incivility in an online debate. The results support the assumption
that incivility has detrimental effects for a deliberative online
discussion, but we cannot confirm that the combination of uncivil and
unlike-minded comments has the most adverse effects.},
journal = {SCM Studies in Communication and Media},
pages = {311--337},
author = {Lück, Julia and Nardi, Carlotta},
volume = {8},
number = {3}
}