The company you keep: social network characteristics and political participation disparity among adolescents and young adults
The role of social network characteristics in further dissipating political participation among adolescents and young adults or mobilizing them into participatory action is debatable. This study analyzes survey data from 10 Southeast European democracies to examine the influence of informational use...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2022
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/162226 |
| _version_ | 1811684186952564736 |
|---|---|
| author | Saifuddin Ahmed Gil-Lopez, Teresa |
| author2 | Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information |
| author_facet | Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information Saifuddin Ahmed Gil-Lopez, Teresa |
| author_sort | Saifuddin Ahmed |
| collection | NTU |
| description | The role of social network characteristics in further dissipating political participation among adolescents and young adults or mobilizing them into participatory action is debatable. This study analyzes survey data from 10 Southeast European democracies to examine the influence of informational use of online media (Internet and social media) and social network characteristics on political interest–based participatory gaps among adolescents and young adults. The findings support the reinforcement thesis that politically interested individuals exploit the benefits of online media use, thereby exacerbating participation gaps between low- and high-interest groups. These gaps are further amplified in more heterogeneous networks for both adolescents and young adults. In contrast, politically interested adolescents are more likely to politically disengage within more extensive social networks and, hence, resemble politically detached young adults. Overall, the findings support the reinforcement thesis across age groups where greater network heterogeneity amplifies participatory gaps for both adolescents and young adults, but network size plays a conditional role for adolescents. |
| first_indexed | 2024-10-01T04:24:38Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | ntu-10356/162226 |
| institution | Nanyang Technological University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-10-01T04:24:38Z |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ntu-10356/1622262022-10-10T07:04:46Z The company you keep: social network characteristics and political participation disparity among adolescents and young adults Saifuddin Ahmed Gil-Lopez, Teresa Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information Social sciences::Communication Network Heterogeneity Network Size The role of social network characteristics in further dissipating political participation among adolescents and young adults or mobilizing them into participatory action is debatable. This study analyzes survey data from 10 Southeast European democracies to examine the influence of informational use of online media (Internet and social media) and social network characteristics on political interest–based participatory gaps among adolescents and young adults. The findings support the reinforcement thesis that politically interested individuals exploit the benefits of online media use, thereby exacerbating participation gaps between low- and high-interest groups. These gaps are further amplified in more heterogeneous networks for both adolescents and young adults. In contrast, politically interested adolescents are more likely to politically disengage within more extensive social networks and, hence, resemble politically detached young adults. Overall, the findings support the reinforcement thesis across age groups where greater network heterogeneity amplifies participatory gaps for both adolescents and young adults, but network size plays a conditional role for adolescents. 2022-10-10T07:04:46Z 2022-10-10T07:04:46Z 2021 Journal Article Saifuddin Ahmed & Gil-Lopez, T. (2021). The company you keep: social network characteristics and political participation disparity among adolescents and young adults. New Media and Society, 146144482110654-. https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/14614448211065420 1461-4448 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/162226 10.1177/14614448211065420 2-s2.0-85122156619 146144482110654 en New Media and Society © 2021 The Author(s). All rights reserved. |
| spellingShingle | Social sciences::Communication Network Heterogeneity Network Size Saifuddin Ahmed Gil-Lopez, Teresa The company you keep: social network characteristics and political participation disparity among adolescents and young adults |
| title | The company you keep: social network characteristics and political participation disparity among adolescents and young adults |
| title_full | The company you keep: social network characteristics and political participation disparity among adolescents and young adults |
| title_fullStr | The company you keep: social network characteristics and political participation disparity among adolescents and young adults |
| title_full_unstemmed | The company you keep: social network characteristics and political participation disparity among adolescents and young adults |
| title_short | The company you keep: social network characteristics and political participation disparity among adolescents and young adults |
| title_sort | company you keep social network characteristics and political participation disparity among adolescents and young adults |
| topic | Social sciences::Communication Network Heterogeneity Network Size |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/162226 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT saifuddinahmed thecompanyyoukeepsocialnetworkcharacteristicsandpoliticalparticipationdisparityamongadolescentsandyoungadults AT gillopezteresa thecompanyyoukeepsocialnetworkcharacteristicsandpoliticalparticipationdisparityamongadolescentsandyoungadults AT saifuddinahmed companyyoukeepsocialnetworkcharacteristicsandpoliticalparticipationdisparityamongadolescentsandyoungadults AT gillopezteresa companyyoukeepsocialnetworkcharacteristicsandpoliticalparticipationdisparityamongadolescentsandyoungadults |