Civil Political Discourse

This special issue is an outgrowth of the work to increase constructiveness of political discourse through the application of psychological theory and research. The main article discusses the nature of political disclosure, its role in democratic decision making, and the intentions of the founders of American democracy in placing political discourse at the center of civic life. It also addresses the characteristics that founders and early American citizens gave to political discourse, other forms of political persuasion, and the role of psychology in maintaining the health of democracy. A theory, program of research, and normative procedure for ensuring that political discourse is conducted in constructive ways are then described. It is followed by a series of commentaries remarking on issues raised by the main article.