TY - JOUR
T1 - Two Sides of the Coin
T2 - Assessing the Influence of Social Network Site Use During the 2012 U.S. Presidential Campaign
AU - Zhang, Weiwu
AU - Seltzer, Trent
AU - Bichard, Shannon L.
PY - 2013/10
Y1 - 2013/10
N2 - The increasing popularity of social network sites (SNSs) in election campaigns provides a unique climate for scholarly inquiry. The study reported here builds upon Zhang, Johnson, Seltzer, and Bichard and investigates the impact of different types of SNS use on voters' attitudes and behavior during the 2012 U.S. presidential campaign. Sites such as Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter, and YouTube are included to offer a robust assessment of distinct relationships. A national online panel of Internet users was utilized to examine reliance on SNSs and the multiple consequences on political attitudes and behavior such as political participation, political interest, selective exposure, selective avoidance, and strength of party affiliation. The findings are evaluated for theoretical and practical implications on democratic governance.
AB - The increasing popularity of social network sites (SNSs) in election campaigns provides a unique climate for scholarly inquiry. The study reported here builds upon Zhang, Johnson, Seltzer, and Bichard and investigates the impact of different types of SNS use on voters' attitudes and behavior during the 2012 U.S. presidential campaign. Sites such as Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter, and YouTube are included to offer a robust assessment of distinct relationships. A national online panel of Internet users was utilized to examine reliance on SNSs and the multiple consequences on political attitudes and behavior such as political participation, political interest, selective exposure, selective avoidance, and strength of party affiliation. The findings are evaluated for theoretical and practical implications on democratic governance.
KW - SNS
KW - democracy
KW - political campaigns
KW - selective exposure
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84883636000&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0894439313489962
DO - 10.1177/0894439313489962
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84883636000
VL - 31
SP - 542
EP - 551
JO - Social Science Computer Review
JF - Social Science Computer Review
SN - 0894-4393
IS - 5
ER -