Researchers tested whether incivility by politicians against opponents may be approved by their most loyal supporters, the “red meat hypothesis”, as an exception to the “Montagu Principle” that supports civility, and found that uncivil behavior hurt politicians, even with their most loyal base.

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Researchers tested whether incivility by politicians against opponents may be approved by their most loyal supporters, the “red meat hypothesis”, as an exception to the “Montagu Principle” that supports civility, and found that uncivil behavior hurt politicians, even with their most loyal base.