Is offensive commenting contagious online? Examining public vs interpersonal swearing in response to Donald Trump’s YouTube campaign videos

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the spillover effects of offensive commenting in online community from the lens of emotional and behavioral contagion. Specifically, it examines the contagion of swearing – a linguistic mannerism that conveys high-arousal emotion – based upon two mechanisms of contagion: mimicry and social interaction effect

Advertising · Business · Contagion effect · Economics · Emotional contagion · Interpersonal communication · Interpersonal interaction · Management · Media studies · Microeconomics · Multimedia · Offensive · Online video · Sociology · Spillover effect · Computer Science · Digital Communication and Language · Hate Speech and Cyberbullying Detection · Psychology · Social Psychology · Swearing, Euphemism, Multilingualism

• The Distorting Prism of Social Media

  Open Access•Jin Woo Kim, Allison M Gue et al.•Journal of Communication•2021

  Añadir item

• Fútbol, racismo y Twitter. Disección del discurso del odio en el caso Diakhaby

  Open Access•Alberto Martín García, Álex Buitrago et al.•Razón y Palabra•2022

  Añadir item

• A Dynamic Analysis of Conspiratorial Narratives on Twitter During the Pandemic

  Open Access•Chun Shao, K Hazel Kwon et al.•Cyberpsychology Behavior and…•2023

  Añadir item

• Contagion of offensive speech online

  Open Access•Y Song, Q Lin et al.•Computers in Human Behavior•2022

  Añadir item

• Misleading political advertising fuels incivility online

  Open Access•Yingying Chen, Luping Wang et al.•Computers in Human Behavior•2022

  Añadir item

• Does hate attract likes? Offensive language and audience engagement in partisan YouTube videos

  Open Access•Kyungeun Jang, Young Min Baek•Telematics and Informatics•2026

  Añadir item

• Appraising Uncivil Comments in Online Political Discussions

  Open Access•Jan P Kluck, Nicole C Krämer•Communication Research•2023

  Añadir item

• Are online users influenced by what other users say? Meta-analyzing the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral impact of online comment valence

  Open Access•Junhan Chen, Shilin Xia•Cyberpsychology Journal of…•2024

  Añadir item

• Cheating in online gaming spreads through observation and victimization

  Open Access•Ji Eun Kim, Milena Tsvetkova•Network Science•2021

  Añadir item

• Positioning a Personal Political Brand on YouTube with Points of Different Visual Storytelling

  Vagia Mochla, Georgios Tsourvakas et al.•Journal of Political Marketing•2023

  Añadir item

• Offensive messages and Twitter trolling during the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup

  Open Access•Peter English, Asta Zelenkauskaite et al.•Soccer and Society•2025

  Añadir item

• Quantifying the spread of racist content on fringe social media

  Open Access•Akaash Kolluri, Dhiraj Murthy et al.•Big Data & Society•2025

  Añadir item

• Tolerating and managing extreme speech on social media

  Open Access•Brett G Johnson•Internet Research•2018

  Añadir item

• Incivility in Comparison

  Open Access•Felix Schmidt, Sebastian Stier et al.•Social Science Computer Review•2024

  Añadir item

• Does Social Media Users’ Interaction Influence the Formation of Echo Chambers? Social Network Analysis Based on Vaccine Video Comments on YouTube

  Open Access•Mingfei Sun, Xiaoyue Ma et al.•International Journal of…•2022

  Añadir item

• Analysis of Ageism, Sexism, and Ableism in User Comments on YouTube Videos About Climate Activist Greta Thunberg

  Open Access•Chang Sup Park, Qian Liu et al.•Social Media + Society•2021

  Añadir item

• Localized social media and civic life

  K Hazel Kwon, Chun Shao et al.•Journal of Information Technology…•2020

  Añadir item

• Angry tweets

  Open Access•Melanie Saumer, Kateryna Maikovska et al.•Journal of Information Technology…•2024

  Añadir item

• Curbing profanity online

  Open Access•Y Song, K Hazel Kwon et al.•New Media & Society•2020

  Añadir item

• Fake thumbs in play

  Open Access•K Hazel Kwon, Mi Hyun Lee et al.•New Media & Society•2022

  Añadir item

• Online moral disengagement and hostile emotions in discussions on hosting immigrants

  Open Access•Francesca D’errico, Marinella Paciello•Internet Research•2018

  Añadir item

• The dark side of news community forums

  Open Access•Todor Mihaylov, Tsvetomila Mihaylova et al.•Internet Research•2018

  Añadir item

• The dynamics of conspiracy theories on social media from the diffusion of innovations perspective

  Open Access•Xiao Meng, Xiaohui Wang et al.•Internet Research•2025

  Añadir item

• Managing trolling in online communities

  Open Access•Denitsa Dineva, J Breitsohl•Internet Research•2021

  Añadir item

• Unpacking the complexity of online incivility

  Open Access•Baiqi Li, Y Song et al.•Internet Research•2024

  Añadir item

• The joy of pain

  Open Access•Jacob Hornik, Rinat Shaanan Satchi et al.•Internet Research•2018

  Añadir item

• Code-switching as linguistic microaggression

  Jae Dibello Takeuchi•Multilingua•2023

  Añadir item

• Swearing in a second language

  Ariana N Mohammadi•Journal of Multilingual and…•2022

  Añadir item

• Ethnic Insults in YouTube Comments

  Open Access•Christoph Spörlein, Elmar Schlueter•European Sociological Review•2021

  Añadir item

• The strategic and instrumental use of verbal violence by protesters

  Open Access•Matthew Ming-Tak Chew•Social movement studies•2025

  Añadir item

• Iamhere

  Open Access•Catherine Buerger•Social Media + Society•2021

  Añadir item

• Making Sweet Music Together

  Open Access•Anatoliy Gruzd, Jaigris Hodson•Social Media + Society•2021

  Añadir item

• Swearing and gender dynamics in urban Surabaya

  Open Access•Endang Sholihatin, Nanang Haryono•Jurnal Sosiologi Dialektika•2024

  Añadir item

• Mapping out Violence Against Women of Influence on Twitter Using the Cyber-Lifestyle Routine Activity Theory

  Open Access•Priya Kumar, Anatoliy Gruzd et al.•American Behavioral Scientist•2021

  Añadir item

• Affective Publics

  Zizi Papacharissi•Affective publics•2014

  Añadir item

• Plan 9 From Cyberspace

  Open Access•Katelyn Y A Mckenna, John A Bargh•Personality and Social Psychology…•2000

  Añadir item

• Social media as a catalyst for online deliberation? Exploring the affordances of Facebook and YouTube for political expression

  Open Access•Daniel Halpern, Jennifer L Gibbs et al.•Computers in Human Behavior•2013

  Añadir item

• The Utility and Ubiquity of Taboo Words

  Open Access•Timothy Jay•Perspectives on Psychological…•2009

  Añadir item

• The Face of Need

  Deborah A Small, Nicole M Verrochi et al.•Journal of Marketing Research•2009

  Añadir item

• Emotional Contagion

  Open Access•Elaine Hatfield, John T Cacioppo et al.•Current Directions in Psychological…•1993

  Añadir item

• Dynamic spread of happiness in a large social network

  Open Access•J H Fowler, Nicholas A Christakis•BMJ•2008

  Añadir item

• The Chameleon Effect as Social Glue

  Open Access•Jessica L Lakin, Valerie E Jefferis et al.•Journal of Nonverbal Behavior•2003

  Añadir item

• Chapter 5 Human Mimicry

  Tanya L Chartrand, Rick Van Baaren•Advances in Experimental Social…•2009

  Añadir item

• Flaming on YouTube

  Open Access•Peter J Moor, Ard Heuvelman et al.•Computers in Human Behavior•2010

  Añadir item

• Structural balance

  Dorwin Cartwright, Frank Harary•Psychological Review•1956

  Añadir item

• Experimental evidence of massive-scale emotional contagion through social networks

  Open Access•Adam D I Kramer, Adam Kramer et al.•Proceedings of the National…•2014

  Añadir item

• A 61-million-person experiment in social influence and political mobilization

  Open Access•Robert M Bond, Christopher J Fari et al.•Nature•2012

  Añadir item

• Political Discussion Frequency, Network Size, and “Heterogeneity” of Discussion as Predictors of Political Knowledge and Participation

  Open Access•W P Eveland, Myiah J Hutchens et al.•Journal of Communication•2009

  Añadir item

• The Social Contagion of Antisocial Behavior

  Open Access•Milena Tsvetkova, Michael Macy•Sociological Science•2015

  Añadir item

• Consumer devotion to a different height

  Open Access•Mahmud Hassan, Luis V Casalo et al.•Internet Research•2016

  Añadir item

• Consumer reviews

  Open Access•Mira Lee, Mikyoung Kim et al.•Internet Research•2013

  Añadir item

• Revocable anonymous access to the Internet

  Open Access•Joris Claessens, Claudia Díaz et al.•Internet Research•2003

  Añadir item

• Virality over YouTube

  Open Access•Gohar F Khan, Sokha Vong•Internet Research•2014

  Añadir item

• Internet advertising video facilitating health communication

  Open Access•Chung‐Hui Tseng, Chung-Hui Tseng et al.•Internet Research•2016

  Añadir item

• Legal snarls for women in cyberspace

  Open Access•Cheris Kramarae, Jana Kramer•Internet Research•1995

  Añadir item

• Predictive value of video-sharing behavior

  Open Access•Sehwan Oh, Hyunmi Baek et al.•Internet Research•2017

  Añadir item

• YouTube stickiness

  Open Access•Hsiu‐Sen Chiang, Hsiu-Sen Chiang et al.•Internet Research•2015

  Añadir item

• Swearing Effects on Citizen-to-Citizen Commenting Online

  Open Access•K Hazel Kwon, Daegon Cho•Social Science Computer Review•2015

  Añadir item

• Searching for Safety Online

  Susan C Herring, SUSAN HERRING et al.•The Information Society•2002

  Añadir item

• Language

  Douglas Biber, H Giles et al.•Language•1993

  Añadir item

• Language Style Matching as a Predictor of Social Dynamics in Small Groups

  Open Access•Amy Gonzales, Amy L Gonzales et al.•Communication Research•2009

  Añadir item

• Deindividuation Effects on Group Polarization in Computer-Mediated Communication

  Open Access•E J Lee, Eun-Ju Lee•Journal of Communication•2006

  Añadir item

• The Aggression Questionnaire

  Arnold H Bu, Arnold H Buss et al.•Journal of Personality and Social…•1992

  Añadir item

• Stylistic Accommodation on an Internet Forum as Bonding

  Open Access•Kasper Welbers, W De Nooy•American Behavioral Scientist•2014

  Añadir item

• Social Network Influence on Online Behavioral Choices

  Open Access•K Hazel Kwon, Michael A Stefanone et al.•American Behavioral Scientist•2014

  Añadir item

• Swearing in Political Discourse

  Open Access•Nicoletta Cavazza, Margherita Guidetti•Journal of Language and Social…•2014

  Añadir item

• Linguistic Style Matching in Social Interaction

  Open Access•Kate Niederhoffer, Kate G Niederhoffer et al.•Journal of Language and Social…•2002

  Añadir item

• A Markov Chain Analysis of Emotional Exchange in Voice-to-Voice Communication

  Open Access•Rita Rueff-Lopes, José Navarro et al.•Human Communication Research•2015

  Añadir item