From Incivility to Outrage - College of Social Sciences & Public ...

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Political Discourse in Blogs, Talk Radio, and Cable News 41
Conflagration
Coding for this variable records attempts to escalate nonscandals into scandals. The key
trait is speech that overstates or dramatizes the importance or implications of minor gaffes,
oversights, or improprieties. By nonscandal we refer to an episode, event, or trend that a
learned, dispassionate observer would not consider significant or scandalous.
Ideologically Extremizing Language
The reference here is to extremist language used to critically describe a person, group of
people, branch of the government, political party, or other organization or their behaviors,
planned behaviors, policies, or views. Usually the descriptive language will be used as an
implicit slur rather than as simple description.
Slippery Slope
This is intended to capture fatalistic arguments suggesting that some behavior, policy, or
decision is a small step that will inevitably pave the way for much more extreme behaviors,
policies, or decisions.
Belittling
When an author or speaker belittles or demeans a person, group of people, branch of the
government, political party, or other organization (or their behaviors, planned behaviors,
policies, or views), this is labeled “belittling.” This may be done in the context of mockery
or exaggeration.
Obscene Language
This gauges use of obscene language in reference to a person, group of people, branch of
the government, political party, or other organization (or their behaviors, planned behaviors,
policies, or views). Here we mean words that are not used on network television (as
a general rule), not simply insulting words. If the obscene language is used concretely to
name-call, this falls under the “name-calling” category.