Americans have always been quick to speak their minds, on topics both trivial and momentous. Our nation was founded on the premise that freedom of speech is a fundamental right. But in recent months, the national conversation has devolved into open insults and disrespect. How has this happened? And what can we do about it?
Psychology has studied rudeness contagion for decades, demonstrating that merely witnessing rude or destructive behavior leads people to mimic that conduct. Who can forget psychologist Albert Bandura's now-infamous Bobo doll experiments, in which children who watched an adult strike a Bobo doll with a mallet or yell at it were themselves more likely to act abusively toward the doll? Other more recent studies have found that witnessing morning rudeness can lead workers to be rude throughout the day and that experiencing incivility can reduce performance on routine and creative tasks and lead people to be less helpful than they would be otherwise. Supervisors who believe they are mistreated by their managers tend to pass on that mistreatment to their employees.
Experiencing incivility takes a psychological toll. Workplace rudeness has been shown to be associated with feelings of incompetence. Women who endure catcalls and worse report negative impacts on their well-being and a tendency to avoid public places. And exposure to rudeness on medical teams has been shown to fray the collaboration essential for patient care and safety.
To promote respect and politeness in everyday life, APA has joined with the nonpartisan National Institute for Civil Discourse (NICD). This organization was founded by the Tucson, Arizona, community in response to the 2011 shooting that killed six people and wounded 13, including former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. NICD works to integrate research, practice and policy to promote the principle that people with different values and political views can discuss their differences in a civil and productive manner.
Last month, we co-presented "A National Conversation on Civility," moderated by National Public Radio's Scott Simon and featuring experts on civil discourse. We are sharing resources on our websites and look forward to continuing to promote greater civility and understanding between people who disagree—so they will do so politely—in the political sphere and beyond.
