The Development of Political Interest Among Adolescents: A Communication Mediation Approach Using Five Waves of Panel Data

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (8) ◽  
pp. 1055-1077 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Shehata ◽  
Erik Amnå
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Panel Data ◽  
News Media ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Political Interest ◽  
Mediation Model ◽  
Opinion Formation ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Current Affairs

Political interest is one of the most important individual-level predictors of news media use, public opinion formation, and engagement. When, how, and why some citizens develop a strong interest in politics is, however, less clear. This study analyzes the development of political interest during the formative years of adolescence, using a five-wave panel study among Swedish adolescents, covering a period of 4 years. Based on the citizen communication mediation model, we analyze how interest in political and current affairs news among family and friends influence adolescents’ political interest. Taken together, while the findings lend support for several of the hypotheses, mechanisms, and processes derived from the communication mediation model, parents appear more important than peers when it comes to shaping adolescents’ political interest.

Some Media Matter More Than Others: Investigating Media Effects on Attitudes toward and Perceptions of Immigration in Sweden

2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 1238-1264
Author(s):  
Nora Theorin ◽  
Jesper Strömbäck
Keyword(s):  
News Media ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Alternative Media ◽  
Left Wing ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Immigration Attitudes ◽  
Effects Of Media ◽  
Attitudes Toward Immigration

Over the last decade, issues related to immigration have become increasingly salient across Western democracies. This increasing salience has made it more important to understand people’s attitudes toward immigration, including the effects of media use on those attitudes. Differentiating between attitudes toward different types of immigration, attitudes toward immigration from different parts of the world, and perceptions of immigration’s impact, this article investigates the effects of media use on attitudes toward and perceptions of immigration in Sweden. Based on a three-year, three-wave panel study, it investigates the effects of media use on the individual level. Among other things, results show that there are limited effects of using traditional news media but more substantial effects on people’s immigration attitudes of using anti-immigration, right-wing alternative media and pro-immigration, left-wing alternative media. These findings imply that it is highly relevant to account for media use, especially alternative media use, when studying public attitudes toward immigration. Further, we find that variations in people’s immigration attitudes, to a high degree, depend on the type of immigration and on where migrants are coming from. This finding underlines the importance of measuring both of these aspects when the aim is understanding general attitudes toward immigration and/or key predictors behind immigration attitudes.

Perceived agenda-setting effect in international context: Impact of media coverage on American audience’s perception of China

2020 ◽  
pp. 174804852098402
Author(s):  
Linsen Su ◽  
Xigen Li
Keyword(s):  
Agenda Setting ◽  
Media Coverage ◽  
Cognitive Process ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Political Interest ◽  
Direct Experience ◽  
International Context ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Comparison Approach ◽  
The Individual

Different from the conventional content-survey result comparison approach in agenda-setting research, which compares media agenda and public agenda at the aggregated level, this study investigates the perceived agenda-setting effect of media at the individual level in an international context. A survey of American respondents (N = 848) identifies perceived agenda-setting effect from individuals’ cognitive process, and finds that the U.S. audience are aware that their perception of China is shaped by media coverage of China-related topics. The study finds that media use, political interest in China, and media trust positively predict perceived agenda-setting effect, while direct experience with China produces no effect. The study also confirms the effect of media use on perceived agenda-setting effect mediated by political interest.

scholarly journals Sharing and Commenting Facilitate Political Learning on Facebook: Evidence From a Two-Wave Panel Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 205630512110478
Author(s):  
Dam Hee Kim ◽  
Brian E. Weeks ◽  
Daniel S. Lane ◽  
Lauren B. Hahn ◽  
Nojin Kwak
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Presidential Election ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Political Knowledge ◽  
Political Information ◽  
Political Discussion ◽  
Mediation Model ◽  
Political Learning ◽  
Political News

Social media, as sources of political news and sites of political discussion, may be novel environments for political learning. Many early reports, however, failed to find that social media use promotes gains in political knowledge. Prior research has not yet fully explored the possibility based on the communication mediation model that exposure to political information on social media facilitates political expression, which may subsequently encourage political learning. We find support for this mediation model in the context of Facebook by analyzing a two-wave survey prior to the 2016 U.S. presidential election. In particular, sharing and commenting, not liking or opinion posting, may facilitate political knowledge gains.

scholarly journals What do people learn from following the news? A diary study on the influence of media use on knowledge of current news stories

2020 ◽  
pp. 026732312097872
Author(s):  
Kathleen Beckers ◽  
Peter Van Aelst ◽  
Pascal Verhoest ◽  
Leen d’Haenens
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
News Media ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Media Consumption ◽  
Diary Study ◽  
Traditional Media ◽  
Audiovisual Media ◽  
News Stories ◽  
Time Diary ◽  
Current Affairs

One of the main functions of news media in democracies is informing the citizenry on day-to-day affairs. However, the way in which citizens gather news has changed as nowadays people have more opportunities than ever before to adapt their media consumption based on their preferences. One of the major game changers was the introduction of social media. This raises the question to what extent traditional media still contribute to people’s knowledge of current affairs. Using a time-diary study in the Flemish media context, we investigate the influence of different forms of news consumption on current news knowledge. We conclude that traditional (print and audiovisual) media, including popular outlets, continue to be the major contributors to people’s knowledge about current affairs and that social media hardly contribute at all.

A Panel Study on the Effects of Social Media Use and Internet Connectedness on Academic Performance and Social Support

2018 ◽  
pp. 778-793
Author(s):  
Louis Leung
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Academic Performance ◽  
Perceived Social Support ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Level Change ◽  
Facebook Use

Using a longitudinal panel study approach, this research examined the effects of social media use and internet connectedness on academic performance and on perceived social support. Results showed that, after controlling demographics and overall grades at Time 1, individual-level change in overall grades over the year that followed was attributable to Facebook, blogs, and online game use but not to internet connectedness. Results suggest that heavy Facebook use has a positive effect on overall grades, while heavy use of blogs and online games leads to grade impairment. In the case of academic competence and perceived social support, individual-level change over the year that followed was only attributable to Facebook use. Implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.

The Polarizing Effect of the March for Science on Attitudes toward Scientists

2018 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 782-788 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Motta
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Political ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Online Panel ◽  
Political Impact ◽  
Political Actions ◽  
Answering Questions

ABSTRACTAmericans’ attitudes toward scientists have become more negative in recent years. Although researchers have considered several individual-level factors that might explain this change, little attention has been given to the political actions of scientists themselves. This article considers how March for Science rallies that took place across the United States in late April 2017 influenced Americans’ attitudes toward scientists and the research they produce. An online panel study surveying respondents three days before and two days after the March found that liberals’ and conservatives’ attitudes toward scientists polarized following the March. Liberals’ attitudes toward scientists became more positive whereas conservatives’ attitudes became more negative. However, the March appears to have had little effect on the public’s attitudes about scientific research. In addition to answering questions about the March’s political impact, this research calls attention to the possibility that the political actions of scientists can shape public opinion about them.

scholarly journals Did Terrorism Affect Voting in the Brexit Referendum?

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Vincenzo Bove ◽  
Georgios Efthyvoulou ◽  
Harry Pickard
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Terrorist Attacks ◽  
Public Security ◽  
Opinion Formation ◽  
Security Risks ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Security Issues ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Eu Referendum ◽  
The Eu

Abstract This article contributes to the recent research on Brexit and public opinion formation by contending that the determinants of the referendum results should be evaluated against the background of wider public security concerns. The British public has long regarded terrorism as a top concern, more so than in any other European country. Terrorist attacks on UK soil raised voters' awareness of security issues and their saliency in the context of the EU referendum. The study finds that locations affected by terrorist violence in their proximity exhibit an increase in the share of pro-Remain votes, particularly those that experienced more sensational attacks. Using individual-level data, the results show that in the aftermath of terrorist attacks, citizens are more likely to reconsider the security risks involved in leaving the EU.

A Panel Study on the Effects of Social Media Use and Internet Connectedness on Academic Performance and Social Support

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis Leung
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Academic Performance ◽  
Perceived Social Support ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Level Change ◽  
Facebook Use

Using a longitudinal panel study approach, this research examined the effects of social media use and internet connectedness on academic performance and on perceived social support. Results showed that, after controlling demographics and overall grades at Time 1, individual-level change in overall grades over the year that followed was attributable to Facebook, blogs, and online game use but not to internet connectedness. Results suggest that heavy Facebook use has a positive effect on overall grades, while heavy use of blogs and online games leads to grade impairment. In the case of academic competence and perceived social support, individual-level change over the year that followed was only attributable to Facebook use. Implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.

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