In-your-face politics : the consequences of uncivil media / Diana C. Mutz.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 247-256) and index.

What is "in-your-face" politics? -- The consequences of in-your-face politics for arousal and memory -- Effects on public perceptions of the legitimacy of the opposition -- The costs of in-your-face politics for political trust -- Real-world contexts -- Who watches this stuff anyway? The audience for in-your-face politics -- Does the medium matter? -- How politics on television has changed -- Making politics palatable: political television in an era of choice.

"Americans are disgusted with watching politicians screaming and yelling at one another on television. But does all the noise really make a difference? Drawing on numerous studies, Diana Mutz provides the first comprehensive look at the consequences of in-your-face politics. Her book contradicts the conventional wisdom by documenting both the benefits and the drawbacks of in-your-face media."--Dust jacket flap.

"In-your-face' politics refers to both the level of incivility and the up-close and personal way that we experience political conflict on television. ... Mutz finds that incivility is particularly detrimental to facilitating respect for oppositional political viewpoints and to citizens' levels of trust in politicians and the political process. On the positive side, incivility and close-up camera perspectives contribute to making politics more physiologically arousing and entertaining to viewers. This encourages more attention to political programs, stimulates recall of the content, and encourages people to relay content to others."--Publisher description.