Direct and Mediating Effects of Information Efficacy on Voting Behavior: Political Socialization of Young Adults in the 2012 U.S. Presidential Election

Sidharth Muralidharan; Yongjun Sung

doi:10.1080/08934215.2015.1064537

Direct and Mediating Effects of Information Efficacy on Voting Behavior: Political Socialization of Young Adults in the 2012 U.S. Presidential Election

Sidharth Muralidharan^*, Yongjun Sung

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The objective of this study was to explore how young voters form attitudes through the socialization process (i.e., political information efficacy) and the factors that potentially shaped voting behavior in the 2012 U.S. presidential election. Using political socialization as the theoretical framework, 363 respondents were surveyed the day after the election. Findings indicate that biological sex, election news, and peer communication had a direct impact on information efficacy for young voters. Information efficacy had a significant direct impact on voting behavior and a mediating effect via socialization agents. Implications for campaign planners are discussed.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	100-114
Number of pages	15
Journal	Communication Reports
Volume	29
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/08934215.2015.1064537
Publication status	Published - 2016 May 3

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Western States Communication Association.

Keywords

Political Information Efficacy
Political Socialization
Voting Behavior

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Education
Communication
Language and Linguistics
Linguistics and Language

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10.1080/08934215.2015.1064537

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abstract = "The objective of this study was to explore how young voters form attitudes through the socialization process (i.e., political information efficacy) and the factors that potentially shaped voting behavior in the 2012 U.S. presidential election. Using political socialization as the theoretical framework, 363 respondents were surveyed the day after the election. Findings indicate that biological sex, election news, and peer communication had a direct impact on information efficacy for young voters. Information efficacy had a significant direct impact on voting behavior and a mediating effect via socialization agents. Implications for campaign planners are discussed.",

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AB - The objective of this study was to explore how young voters form attitudes through the socialization process (i.e., political information efficacy) and the factors that potentially shaped voting behavior in the 2012 U.S. presidential election. Using political socialization as the theoretical framework, 363 respondents were surveyed the day after the election. Findings indicate that biological sex, election news, and peer communication had a direct impact on information efficacy for young voters. Information efficacy had a significant direct impact on voting behavior and a mediating effect via socialization agents. Implications for campaign planners are discussed.

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ER -

Direct and Mediating Effects of Information Efficacy on Voting Behavior: Political Socialization of Young Adults in the 2012 U.S. Presidential Election

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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