Re: Does Civility Matter in the Blogosphere? Examining the
Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 8:53 pm
Interaction effects between incivility and ideological incongruence
For testing interaction effects between incivility of blogger’s commentary and ideological incongruence, regression analyses were conducted after controlling for the experimental factor of blog message structure, gender, year in college, and ideological extremity. The results for interaction effects on the four dependent variables (i.e., negative emotions, openmindedness, attitude certainty, and willingness to talk with the other side) were reported in Model 1 of Table 1.
As Figure 1 illustrates, the regression analysis revealed that there was a significant ordinal interaction effect on negative emotions toward the blogger’s commentary (β = .15, p < .05) by showing that there was no significant difference in negative emotions between uncivil and civil blogger’s commentary condition among those who were exposed to ideologically congruent blogger’s commentary (M=1.49, SE=.09 for the incivility condition; M=1.33, SE=.09 for the civility condition), while the difference was statistically significant among those who were exposed to ideologically incongruent blogger’s commentary (M=2.42, SE=.90 for the incivility condition ; M=1.81, SE=.93 for the civility condition). The results also revealed that those who were exposed to the ideologically incongruent commentary reported significantly greater negative emotions than those who were exposed to the congruent commentary even among those who were in civil blogger’s commentary condition (β = .18, p < .001). Thus, H1 was supported.
H2 predicted that incivility and ideological incongruence would have significant interaction effect on open-mindedness. As Figure 2 illustrates, the results confirmed a significant ordinal interaction effect on open-mindedness by showing that ideological incongruence increased negative effect of incivility on open-mindedness (β = -.12, p < .05). The difference in open-mindedness between uncivil and civil commentary condition among participants who were exposed to ideologically incongruent blogger’s commentary (M=3.15, SE=.12 for the incivility condition; M=4.13, SE=.13 for the civility condition) was significantly greater than among those who were exposed to ideologically congruent blogger’s commentary (M=4.36, SE=.13 for the civility condition; M=3.90, SE=.13 for the incivility condition). The results also showed that negative effect of incivility on open-mindedness was still significant even when participants were exposed to ideologically congruent blogger’s commentary (β = -.12, p < .05).
The results supported H3, which predicted an interaction effect between incivility and ideological incongruence on attitude certainty. As Figure 3 illustrates, the results revealed a significant disordinal (crossover) interaction effect (β =.16, p < .05) such that those in the incivility condition reported greater increased attitude certainty (M=5.74, SE=.14) than did those in the civility condition (M=5.40, SE=.15) among those who were exposed to ideologically incongruent blogger’s commentary, while those who were exposed to ideologically congruent blogger’s commentary showed the opposite pattern (M=5.09, SE=.15 for the incivility condition; M=5.48, SE=.14 for the civility condition).
H4 predicted an interaction effect between incivility and ideological incongruence on willingness to talk with the other side. Again, the results confirmed our prediction by showing that the interaction term of incivility and ideological incongruence was statistically significant (β =-.14, p < .05). As Figure 4 shows, the results revealed a disordinal (crossover) interaction pattern such that among those who were exposed to ideologically incongruent blogger’s commentary, uncivil tone of commentary produced lower level of willingness to talk with the other side than did civil tone (M=4.84, SE=.15 for the incivility condition; M=5.26, SE=.15 for the civility condition), while among those who were exposed to ideologically congruent blogger’s commentary uncivil tone produced higher level of willingness to talk with the other side than did civil tone (M=5.01, SE=.15 for the incivility condition; M=4.75, SE=.15 for the civility condition). In addition, the regression analysis showed that among participants in civil tone condition, those who were exposed to ideologically incongruent blogger’s commentary did show significantly higher level of willingness to talk with the other side than those exposed to ideologically congruent blogger’s commentary (β = .12, p < .05).
For testing interaction effects between incivility of blogger’s commentary and ideological incongruence, regression analyses were conducted after controlling for the experimental factor of blog message structure, gender, year in college, and ideological extremity. The results for interaction effects on the four dependent variables (i.e., negative emotions, openmindedness, attitude certainty, and willingness to talk with the other side) were reported in Model 1 of Table 1.
As Figure 1 illustrates, the regression analysis revealed that there was a significant ordinal interaction effect on negative emotions toward the blogger’s commentary (β = .15, p < .05) by showing that there was no significant difference in negative emotions between uncivil and civil blogger’s commentary condition among those who were exposed to ideologically congruent blogger’s commentary (M=1.49, SE=.09 for the incivility condition; M=1.33, SE=.09 for the civility condition), while the difference was statistically significant among those who were exposed to ideologically incongruent blogger’s commentary (M=2.42, SE=.90 for the incivility condition ; M=1.81, SE=.93 for the civility condition). The results also revealed that those who were exposed to the ideologically incongruent commentary reported significantly greater negative emotions than those who were exposed to the congruent commentary even among those who were in civil blogger’s commentary condition (β = .18, p < .001). Thus, H1 was supported.
H2 predicted that incivility and ideological incongruence would have significant interaction effect on open-mindedness. As Figure 2 illustrates, the results confirmed a significant ordinal interaction effect on open-mindedness by showing that ideological incongruence increased negative effect of incivility on open-mindedness (β = -.12, p < .05). The difference in open-mindedness between uncivil and civil commentary condition among participants who were exposed to ideologically incongruent blogger’s commentary (M=3.15, SE=.12 for the incivility condition; M=4.13, SE=.13 for the civility condition) was significantly greater than among those who were exposed to ideologically congruent blogger’s commentary (M=4.36, SE=.13 for the civility condition; M=3.90, SE=.13 for the incivility condition). The results also showed that negative effect of incivility on open-mindedness was still significant even when participants were exposed to ideologically congruent blogger’s commentary (β = -.12, p < .05).
The results supported H3, which predicted an interaction effect between incivility and ideological incongruence on attitude certainty. As Figure 3 illustrates, the results revealed a significant disordinal (crossover) interaction effect (β =.16, p < .05) such that those in the incivility condition reported greater increased attitude certainty (M=5.74, SE=.14) than did those in the civility condition (M=5.40, SE=.15) among those who were exposed to ideologically incongruent blogger’s commentary, while those who were exposed to ideologically congruent blogger’s commentary showed the opposite pattern (M=5.09, SE=.15 for the incivility condition; M=5.48, SE=.14 for the civility condition).
H4 predicted an interaction effect between incivility and ideological incongruence on willingness to talk with the other side. Again, the results confirmed our prediction by showing that the interaction term of incivility and ideological incongruence was statistically significant (β =-.14, p < .05). As Figure 4 shows, the results revealed a disordinal (crossover) interaction pattern such that among those who were exposed to ideologically incongruent blogger’s commentary, uncivil tone of commentary produced lower level of willingness to talk with the other side than did civil tone (M=4.84, SE=.15 for the incivility condition; M=5.26, SE=.15 for the civility condition), while among those who were exposed to ideologically congruent blogger’s commentary uncivil tone produced higher level of willingness to talk with the other side than did civil tone (M=5.01, SE=.15 for the incivility condition; M=4.75, SE=.15 for the civility condition). In addition, the regression analysis showed that among participants in civil tone condition, those who were exposed to ideologically incongruent blogger’s commentary did show significantly higher level of willingness to talk with the other side than those exposed to ideologically congruent blogger’s commentary (β = .12, p < .05).