Appraising Uncivil Comments in Online Political Discussions: How Do Preceding Incivility and Senders’ Stance Affect the Processing of an Uncivil Comment?

Abstract

Although the appraisal of online incivility highly depends on the social context in which it occurs, little research has focused on this aspect. Drawing on the general aggression model, we assumed that the appraisal of and the reaction to an uncivil discussion comment is affected by the represented stance and the appearance of accompanying comments. To examine these assumptions, we conducted an online experiment ( N = 611) with a three ( uncivil vs. civil vs. no preceding comments as a control) × two ( opposing vs. conforming recipient’s views) between-subjects design. Data revealed that the influence of preceding comments is limited. However, people were more likely to attribute aggressive motives to senders of incivility when they opposed their opinion. In turn, these attributions increased individuals’ anger, anxiety, hostile cognitions, but also enthusiasm. Furthermore, aggressive motive attributions, participants’ emotions, and hostile cognitions guided participants’ intentions to answer in a discussion-centered and/or aggressive way.