Cynicism, insults, and emotions in the 2016 U.S. presidential election: An affective intelligence framework

ABSTRACT

This study examines the role of political cynicism in emotions, online campaign information seeking, and online political expression. Data from a two-wave online panel survey conducted before the 2016 U.S. presidential election reveal that cynicism is related positively to anger and anxiety and negatively to enthusiasm. Cynicism is also positively related to online campaign information seeking indirectly through anxiety. This indirect relationship is moderated by perceived exposure to insult campaigning, such that the relationship is stronger for those who thought they were often exposed to insulting campaign rhetoric. Data also show that cynicism is negatively associated with online political expression through reduced enthusiasm.

KEYWORDS:

• Political cynicism
• insult campaigning
• emotions
• information seeking
• opinion expression
• affective intelligence

Notes

1. The median completion time of the first wave of data collection was 14 minutes and 36 seconds. Several participants needed more time to complete the survey (e.g., submitted responses hours after they started the survey), with a mean completion time of 45 minutes and 46 seconds. These participants did finish the survey and answered almost all survey questions. The median completion time of the second wave of data collection was 12 minutes and 18 seconds. Two participants needed multiple days to finish the survey (e.g., started the survey one day and submitted responses two days later), which resulted in an average completion time of 33 minutes and 1 second. Much like the first wave of data collection, however, these participants did finish the survey and answered all survey questions eventually in response to reminders sent by Qualtrics.

2. To explore the possibility that the observed results might vary according to demographic characteristics, we conducted additional analyses. For example, we examined whether age, gender, education, income, and race would moderate the interaction effects of political cynicism and perceived exposure to insult campaigning on anger, anxiety, and enthusiasm. We also explored whether the observed indirect relationships moderated by perceived exposure to insult campaigning would be further conditioned by age, gender, education, income, and race. On the whole, these analyses showed that the moderation models and moderated mediation models presented in our study did not differ by age, gender, education, income, and race.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Yufeng Tian

Yufeng Tian (M.A., University of South Florida, 2017) is a doctoral student in the Department of Communication at the University at Albany, State University of New York. His research interests include information processing, social identity, and political communication.

Xuewei Zhang

Xuewei Zhang (B.A., Central University of Finance and Economics, 2016) is a doctoral student in the Department of Communication at the University at Albany, State University of New York. Her research interests include interpersonal communication, culture, and social norms.

Masahiro Yamamoto

Masahiro Yamamoto (Ph.D., Washington State University, 2012) is an associate professor in the Department of Communication at the University at Albany, State University of New York. His research interests include communication in community contexts, civic and political participation, and social media.

Alyssa C. Morey

Alyssa C. Morey (Ph.D., Ohio State University, 2013) is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication at the University at Albany, State University of New York. Her research focuses on political discussion and disagreement, information processing, and psychophysiology.