POLITICAL ACTIVITY AND POLITICAL ATTITUDES IN TEENAGERS: IS THERE ANY CORRESPONDENCE? A RESEARCH NOTE
In: Political psychology: journal of the International Society of Political Psychology, Band 10, Heft 4, S. 745-757
ISSN: 0162-895X
ALTHOUGH CONSIDERABLE ATTENTION HAS BEEN PAID TO IDENTIFYING THE PROCESSES INVOLVED IN THE POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE, VERY LITTLE WORK HAS ADDRESSED THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOUNG PEOPLES' POLITICAL ACTIVITIES AND THEIR POLITICAL ATTITUDES. THIS PAPER REPORTS A STUDY OF 210 BRITISH 16-18-YEAR-OLDS AND ASSESSES THE LEVELS OF POLITICAL ACTIVITY IN THIS GROUP AND RELATES THESE TO POLITICAL ATTITUDES. THE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT GREATER LEVELS OF ACTIVITY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH INDIVIDUALS HOLDING LEFT-OF-CENTER POLITICAL VIEWS. SUCH INDIVIDUALS REPORTED PAYING GREATER ATTENTION TO TV AND NEWSPAPERS WITH A HIGH POLITICAL CONTENT AND HAVING MORE POLITICAL DISCUSSIONS WITH TEACHERS AND PARENTS. WHILE THE MORE ACTIVE WERE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE POLITICAL DISCUSSIONS, POLITICS WAS STILL NOT FOUND TO BE AN IMPORTANT TOPIC OF DISCUSSION AMONG PEERS.