From The Mixed-Up Files of Dr. Ken Bort PhD

Share this post

🔍 EXPLORE: Politicians Have Gotten Meaner in Recent Years

drkenbortphd.substack.com
EXPLORE

🔍 EXPLORE: Politicians Have Gotten Meaner in Recent Years

A new study finds Twitter incivility up among members of Congress.

Dr. Ken Bort, PhD
Jun 20, 2022
Share

This information will not surprise the #DigitalDetectiveSquad, but a new study in the journal of Social Psychological and Personality Science found that it’s not our imagination! Political discourse on Twitter has gotten meaner in recent years. The study’s results indicate that “the people running these accounts are learning from [the Twitter] metrics they can see and [are] doing more of whatever gets likes and retweets.” And what’s earning them those likes and retweets? You guessed it: negativity. This type of name-calling, confrontational language, and general nastiness represents a shift. In 2009, the most uncivil tweets got less than 2x as many retweets as their more polite counterparts. However, by 2019, they got 15x more. This data could prove a powerhouse discussion starter for Digital Detectives. Additionally, we think the Triggers Lens offers valuable insight into this phenomenon.

Source: LA Times: Twitter incivility up among members of congress study finds.

Share
Top
New

No posts

Ready for more?

© 2023 Dr. Ken Bort, PhD
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start WritingGet the app
Substack is the home for great writing