Negativity in Democratic Politics
Causes and Consequences

This book explores the political implications of the human tendency to prioritize negative information over positive information.

Stuart N. Soroka (Author)

9781107636194, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 7 April 2014

198 pages, 13 b/w illus. 33 tables
22.7 x 15.2 x 1.3 cm, 0.33 kg

'The thesis of Soroka's book is well supported with a variety of data: negativity bias exists in politics, both in how individuals react to negative information and in how news organizations cover politics … Soroka does a commendable job illustrating that negativity bias exists in politics, both in how individuals react to negative information and in how news organizations cover politics.' Ashley Muddiman, Political Communication

This book explores the political implications of the human tendency to prioritize negative information over positive information. Drawing on literatures in political science, psychology, economics, communications, biology, and physiology, this book argues that 'negativity biases' should be evident across a wide range of political behaviors. These biases are then demonstrated through a diverse and cross-disciplinary set of analyses, for instance: in citizens' ratings of presidents and prime ministers; in aggregate-level reactions to economic news, across 17 countries; in the relationship between covers and newsmagazine sales; and in individuals' physiological reactions to network news content. The pervasiveness of negativity biases extends, this book suggests, to the functioning of political institutions - institutions that have been designed to prioritize negative information in the same way as the human brain.

1. On negativity
2. Negativity in politics
3. (Political) impression formation
4. Economic sentiment and government approval
5. Media content
6. Reactions to news content.

Subject Areas: Politics & government [JP], Sociology [JHB]