Pathways to Expressive and Collective Participation: Usage Patterns, Political Efficacy, and Political Participation in Social Networking Sites

Abstract

This study assesses differences in use of social networking sites (SNSs) and relates them to different patterns of political participation, media use motivations, and political efficacy. Based on a Web survey of 1,230 South Korean voters, it finds that informational uses of SNSs are positively associated with expressive participation both online and offline, but not with collective participation. The use of SNSs for social interaction purposes was associated only with online expressive participation. Recreational uses had a negative or insignificant relationship with expressive and collective participation. Political efficacy moderated the impact of social interaction uses of SNSs on expressive participation both online and offline. The findings suggest that the political impact of SNSs is mostly limited to expressive participation and dependent upon users' motivations.

Note

Notes

¹ Marwell and Oliver defined collective participation as an action taken by two or more people. Collective participation online is sometimes not clear whether the behavior is conducted alone or by multiple people.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Chang Sup Park

Chang Sup Park (Ph.D., Southern Illinois University) is an assistant professor in Mass Communications at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. His research interests include civic engagement via social media, political communication, and convergence journalism.