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

• Main Authors: Julia Lück, Carlotta Nardi
• Format: Article
• Language: deu
• Published: Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG 2019-07-01
• Series: Studies in Communication, Media
• Online Access: https://www.nomos-elibrary.de/10.5771/2192-4007-2019-3-311

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.