"incivility on the Internet can have negative influences on individuals. If reading online incivility can incite negative feelings of hatred, negative attitudes towards a topic, and a reduction of source credibility, it is likely that it may also incite negative risk perceptions..."This phenomenon has influenced many internet news sites to shut of the comment section of their websites completely, without notice. Only one, Popular Science, explained why they were turning off their comments.
Popular Science explains why no comments!
The New York Times also ran a piece explaining the 'Nasty Effect."
NYT: This Story Stinks
And if you want to read the research article on the 'Nasty Effect'
Full length version of the "Nasty Effect"
Anderson, A. A., Brossard, D., Scheufele, D. A., Xenos, M. A. and Ladwig, P. (2013), The “Nasty Effect:” Online Incivility and Risk Perceptions of Emerging Technologies. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12009
- Paper forthcoming in Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication
Specifically look under #3. You Stop Following Through on the Desire to Break Shit
Read more: http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-changing-perspectives-that-show-youve-become-adult/#ixzz2hMnKdPnk
The more polarizing and devastating commentary lately in the news and online really has me depressed right now. Trying my hardest to stay positive and live with gratitude.
I only have a few thoughts on this:
ReplyDelete1. It's nice when science backs up what we already know. Anyone who has been on the net long enough knows this effect. Would like to see more research done on it.
2. That NYT article wasn't very good. I mean, sure, when the net started I'm sure one or two people thought about rational, enlightened debate, but while they were thinking about it, other people were uploading porn and still others were already figuring out how to troll.
3. That Wong article is still not very good.
4. Eh. . . in the totality of human history, the internet is still a tiny, tiny baby. It'll shake out eventually.