ABSTRACT
Most of the studies examining the effects of social networks on political attitudes and behavior have centered on social capital (Ellison, Lampe, Steinfield, & Vitak, 2010; Ellison, Steinfield, & Lampe, 2007; Leiner, Hohlfeld, & Quiring, 2009; Royal, 2008; Steinfield, Ellison, & Lampe, 2008; Valenzuela, Park, & Kee, 2009) because studies suggest that people primarily use social network sites to remain in contact with existing friends and learn more about individuals they meet offline (boyd & Ellison, 2007; Lampe, Ellison, & Steinfield, 2006). Less attention has been paid to whether social network sites influence political attitudes and behavior, and that evidence has been mixed. Studies suggest that social network site users score high on political attitudes and behaviors such as political interest, campaign interest, and political efficacy (Kaye, 2010; Kim & Geidner, 2008; Postelnicu & Cozma, 2008; Vitak et al., 2009), but social network use in general does not seem strongly related to political attitudes and behaviors. Postelnicu and Cozma (2008) found that motivations for using social network sites had little influence on campaign involvement, interest, and efficacy. Similarly, Zhang and associates (in press) found social network use linked to civic participation, but not political participation or confidence in government. Zhang and associates suggested that because social network sites are designed to connect individuals, it is not surprising that it is more connected to civic participation such as volunteering for local organizations. However, studies that look specifically at political uses of social network sites indicate they can have a much greater influence on political attitudes and behaviors (Kim & Geidner, 2008; Utz, 2009; Valenzuela et al., 2009; Vitak et al., 2009). For instance, Kim and Geidner (2008) found that time spent with social network sites had little influence on increasing the benefits of voting and was negatively related to perceptions of civic duty. On the other hand, political online social network use (i.e., measures of visiting candidate profiles on a social network site and sending messages to the candidate) both increased the perceived benefits of voting as well as some of the variables linked to the perception that voting is rewarding, such as self-efficacy, bridging social capital, and civic duty. Similarly, while Vitak and associates (2009) found that both political activity on Facebook and exposure to Facebook political activity predicted offline and online political behavior, the intensity of Facebook activity was actually negatively related. The researchers also found that political knowledge, political interest, and political participation predicted political activity on Facebook. These results suggest that, among general social network users, reliance on these sites does not greatly boost political involvement, although it could increase civic involvement because of the social nature of these sites. But,
among those already interested in election campaigns, reliance on social network sites may increase the likelihood that they seek out political information. As Vitak and associates (2009) suggest, Facebook may also provide a comfortable environment for those not normally engaged in politics to explore political activity because they see their friends engaged in political behavior on Facebook, which, in turn, translates into offline political participation.
