Mass Media Use, Issue Knowledge and Political Involvement

In: Public opinion quarterly: journal of the American Association for Public Opinion Research, Band 44, Heft 2, S. 241-248

Abstract

Recent studies have found mass political sophistication to be increasing throughout United States society. Mass media are typically hypothesized to play a central part in this development. To test this assumption, telephone interviews were conducted at 2 times during the elections in 1976, with a total sample of 160 adults for the preelection interviews & 126 adults still present in the postelection interviews, after attrition. Path models are used to estimate causal processes. Results show that interpersonal discussion leads to newspaper use; there is no reverse causation. Television is not significantly related to either of these. Interpersonal discussion causes, but does not derive from, media use; it may be hypothesized to derive from political participation resulting from structural factors in the voter's environment. 3 Figures. W. H. Stoddard.