Perception and Emotion: The Indirect Effect of Reported Election Poll Results on Political Participation Intention and Support for Restrictions

Abstract

This study explores how the perceived effect and bias of reported election poll results are associated with voters' attitudes toward restrictions on polling reports and their political participation intention through emotions. A telephone survey using a representative sample of South Korean voters (N = 597) was conducted prior to the 2012 South Korean presidential election. Results indicate that the third-person perception of reported election poll results was indirectly linked to support for restrictions on polling reports through anxiety. For supporters of Mr. Jae In Moon, the nominee of the liberal Democratic United Party, who was reported to be behind in the polls, the hostile media perception was indirectly associated with support for restrictions through anxiety and directly associated with political participation intention. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Notes

¹Ninety-one cases of those who refused to answer the questions about their candidate preference and 12 cases of those who responded they preferred other candidates than Mr. Moon and Ms. Park were excluded from the analysis.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hyunjung Kim

Hyunjung Kim (Ph.D., University of Oklahoma, 2010) is a BK21 research professor in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at Sungkyunkwan University. Her research interests include media effect and social influence.