Connective action and the echo chamber of ideology: Testing a model of social media use and attitudes toward the role of government

ABSTRACT

Scholars continue to debate how information and communications technology (ICT) influences civic behavior. Existing studies may be grouped into two approaches: ICT as a tool used to achieve a civic end, and ICT as an unanticipated influencer of how citizens view civic roles. This paper develops the second theory by testing moderated relationships between social media use, political identity, and citizen views of government service provision and spending. Regression results suggest that liberal users show greater preference for an active government, while conservatives show less preference.

KEYWORDS:

• Civic behavior
• ICT
• political ideology
• role of government
• social media

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their helpful suggestions for improving the manuscript. Special thanks are also owed to Gregg Van Ryzin and Javier Fuenzalida, who offered much advice and guidance.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alex Ingrams

Alex Ingrams is a PhD candidate at the School of Public Affairs and Administration, Rutgers–Newark. His dissertation is on open government reform and performance. His other research interests include e-government, transparency, and technology innovation.