The expression effects of uncivil disagreement: the mechanisms of cognitive dissonance and self-perception.

This article investigates the expression effects of political incivility—specifically uncivil disagreement involving vulgar language—on the senders themselves, focusing on anger, perceptions of incivility, and political participation. Conducted via a population-based online survey experiment in Hong Kong (N = 413), the study compares forced versus voluntary expression of uncivil or civil comments about a contentious policy. Findings indicate that expressing uncivil disagreement increases both anger and perceptions of incivility among senders, with no significant differences between forced and self-selected conditions, supporting self-perception theory over cognitive dissonance theory. Moreover, expressing uncivil disagreement indirectly influences political participation in opposite ways: anger increases willingness to participate, while heightened perceptions of incivility decrease it. The study highlights the complex psychological mechanisms behind political incivility expression and its mixed effects on political engagement.