Media use and political participation reconsidered: the actual and perceived influence of political campaign messages

Abstract

This study examines the actual and perceived effects of political advertising on the voting intention of less-experienced eligible voters. Elaborating on the demobilization, stimulation, and influence of presumed influence hypotheses, this study examines the effects of political disaffection, presumed influence, and political efficacy on political mobilization. The study analyzes the effects of political advertisements on 311 college voters. The results of the structural equation modeling (SEM) suggest that instead of demobilizing turnout, self-reported exposure to political advertisements boosts young voters' sense of political efficacy and stimulates their political participation by raising the degree to which they perceive that campaign advertisements affect other voters.

Keywords::

• political demobilization
• political participation
• influence of presumed influence
• stimulation effect
• third-person effect

Acknowledgements

The author disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: thanks to the National Science Council in Taiwan (Project No. NSC101-2410-H-214-010-SSS) for financial support.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sue-Jen Lin

Sue-Jen Lin (PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2002) is an associate professor in the Department of Mass Communication at I-Shou University in Taiwan. Her research interests include media effects, political communication, science communication, and health communication.