There's a generational divide on reasons for the national state of incivility; younger people finger the Internet and social media while older ones fault politicians for the state of affairs, according to Weber Shandwick/Powell Tate's annual "Civility in America" survey.

The millennial generation (people born in 1980 and up) expressed the most confidence that civility will improve over the next few years.

That optimism bodes well for the country's future, according to Jack Leslie, Weber Shandwick chairman.

He points out that the 83M-strong millennial outnumbers generations that came before it, calling it an economic and game-changing powerhouse.

"The only adult generation to have grown up with cyber-bullying is also the only generation to have a native understanding of the power of a digitally connected world to change things for the better," said Leslie in a statement.

KRC Research conducted the study.