The Five Ds

The Five Ds are a term Dr. Chloe Carmichael uses in her book, Can I Say That: Why Free Speech Matters and How to Use It Fearlessly, to describe a pattern of socially hostile behaviors—defriending, declining to date, disinviting, decreasing contact, and dropping someone entirely.  In political disagreements, the Five Ds are more frequently displayed by people who identify as liberal towards people who identify as conservative than by conservatives towards liberals (see below for references).  While they may feel principled in the moment, overuse of the Five Ds can erode social support and increase vulnerability to loneliness, anxiety, and emotional distress.