Disrespectful Democracy

Johanna Dunaway, Texas A&M University:
There is much we can learn from this timely and thoughtful book. It provides a much needed deep dive into the psychological underpinnings of conflict orientation and responses to mediated incivility, revealing critical insights about their important—but previously overlooked—effects on political participation and engagement.

James N. Druckman, Northwestern University:
Scholars, pundits, and citizens all worry about incivility in politics. Is it bad for democracy? How does it affect citizens? This book is a giant step forward in unraveling the impact of incivility. It explains how people react differently and the democratic implications of these reactions.

Dannagal G. Young, author of Irony and Outrage: The Polarized Landscape of Rage, Fear, and Laughter in the U.S.:
Disrespectful Democracy is the book our field has been waiting for. By integrating the concept of "conflict orientation" into the study of why different people respond in different ways to political media, Emily Sydnor has placed political psychology exactly where it belongs: at the heart of political communication research.