Report · Politics

Six-in-ten Americans say political media hurts civility

Reading

In a Verasight survey of 2,000 U.S. adults conducted Sept. 7 to 13, 2023, 61% of Americans said political media content they consume has a negative effect on political civility in the U.S. Including 21% who said a strong negative effect, 21% who said a moderate negative effect, and 20% who said a slight negative effect.

About one in six said political media has a positive effect on civility (16%), with 7% who said a slight positive effect and 5% each who said a moderate or strong positive effect. Another 23% said it has no effect.

Topline

response scale

Topline scale

61% of Americans say political media has a negative effect on civility.

What effect does this content have on political civility in the United States?

  • No Effect 23.1%
  • Strong Negative Effect 21.3%
  • Moderate Negative Effect 20.6%
  • Slight Negative Effect 19.5%
  • Slight Positive Effect 6.6%
  • Strong Positive Effect 4.5%
  • Moderate Positive Effect 4.5%

2023 · base n 2,000 · +/- 2.3%

APSA Omnibus Survey #2023-071

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Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2023-09-07 → 2023-09-13
Base (unweighted)
2,000
Margin of error
+/- 2.3%
Module
2023 APSA Omnibus Survey #2023-071

Source

  • 01
    Six-in-ten Americans say political media hurts civilityreports.verasight.io/reports/2023-apsa-omnibus-survey-2023-071

Citation

2023 APSA Omnibus Survey #2023-071, fielded September 7-13, 2023, N=2,000 United States adults, +/- 2.3%.

https://reports.verasight.io/reports/2023-apsa-omnibus-survey-2023-071#what-effect-does-this-content-have-on-political-civility-in-the-united-states

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. Each wave's specific field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that wave's report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
Every wave is published as a standalone report at verasight.io/reports with full instrument and methodology.
Transparency
AAPOR transparency standards.

Wave-specific methodology, full weighting variable lists, and verbatim instrument text live in each report at verasight.io/reports.