The Influence of Social Media on Democracy
Research Question: How does people’s level of trust in social media platforms influence engagement with political content and their perceptions of democratic processes?
T-Chart
Reflection
Creating Leap 3 was the most difficult project out of all three we were assigned to do. Though I knew different topics I could choose from, I didn’t know what I wanted to focus on. There are many different routes that could be taken. Eventually, I realized I should go the social media route since this is what interested me the most. However, even after choosing the topic I wanted to focus on I still had to overcome some more obstacles.
In collecting my data, there were many different sources that popped up when making my searches. However, many of the sources were connected to things similar yet not quite what I was looking for. I still managed to collect ten sources that I was happy with and was able to collect enough information with.
The next step was forming my slides, which is something I always have a hard time with. I never know how much to include on each slide. Along with this, I don’t know what areas to cover exactly. I decided to start off basic and lead into my research question. After having read all the sources, this was less of a challenge.
For my T-Chart, I had an idea from the beginning. I haven’t made a T-chart in a while, and I don’t think I’ve had to ever make one for a research project like I did here. However, it was pretty easy to connect it to my research question. I didn’t want to add too much information on it because I didn’t want it to seem overwhelming.
In conclusion, this project, though challenging for me, I enjoyed it. I was able to connect to my topic through lots of research. It was a nice way to connect what we have learned throughout the ending of the semester.
Annotated Bibliography
Di Napoli, Dolce, P., & Arcidiacono, C. (2019). Community Trust: A Social Indicator Related to Community Engagement. Social Indicators Research, 145(2), 551–579. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-019-02114-y
I chose this source because it speaks on how based on trust within a community it’ll determine a person’s involvement. This is related to my research question because if there’s trust in what is being said on the media, it will lead to more involvement in politics.
Diehl, Huber, B., Gil de Zúñiga, H., & Liu, J. (2021). Social Media and Beliefs about Climate Change: A Cross-National Analysis of News Use, Political Ideology, and Trust in Science. International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 33(2), 197–213. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijpor/edz040
This study examines the relationship between social media use and beliefs about climate change across different countries. It investigates how individuals’ political beliefs and trust in science influence their attitudes toward climate change information shared on social media platforms.
Gil de Zúñiga, Jung, N., & Valenzuela, S. (2012). Social Media Use for News and Individuals’ Social Capital, Civic Engagement and Political Participation. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 17(3), 319–336. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2012.01574.x
There is a study in this journal that explores how social media use for news consumption relates to civic engagement and political participation. This has to do with my research queation since they both speak on the affects social media has on engagement in politics.
Kent Jennings, & Zeitner, V. (2003). Internet Use and Civic Engagement: A Longitudinal Analysis. Public Opinion Quarterly, 67(3), 311–334. https://doi.org/10.1086/376947
This study investigates the relationship between internet use and engagement in the environment over time. It examines how social media use contributes to individuals’ involvement in civic and political activities.
Li, & Chan, M. (2017). Comparing social media use, discussion, political trust and political engagement among university students in China and Hong Kong: an application of the O-S-R-O-R model. Asian Journal of Communication, 27(1), 65–81. https://doi.org/10.1080/01292986.2016.1248454
This study analyzed social media use, political discussion, political trust, and political engagement among university students in China and Hong Kong using the O-S-R-O-R model. It shows how these factors work together to shape individuals’ political attitudes and behaviors.
Livingstone, & Markham, T. (2008). The contribution of media consumption to civic participation. The British Journal of Sociology, 59(2), 351–371. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-4446.2008.00197.x
This research examines the impact media consumption has on engagement in the community. It investigates how different forms of media influence individuals’ engagement in community activities and political processes.
Shah. (1998). Civic Engagement, Interpersonal Trust, and Television Use: An Individual-Level Assessment of Social Capital. Political Psychology, 19(3), 469–496. https://doi.org/10.1111/0162-895X.00114
This individual-level assessment explores the relationship between civic engagement, interpersonal trust, and television use. It investigates how exposure to television programming affects individuals’ levels of social capital and participation in civic activities. This is related to my topic because though this isn’t on social media, it is still a form of media.
Su, & Xiao, X. (2022). Interacting effects of political social media use, political discussion and political trust on civic engagement: Extending the differential gains model. The International Communication Gazette, 84(3), 206–226. https://doi.org/10.1177/1748048521993118
This study examines the effects of political social media use, political discussion, and political trust on civic engagement. It explores how these factors interact to influence individuals’ likelihood of engaging in various forms of civic and political activities.
Szalai, J. (2023, December 31). The problem of misinformation in an era without trust. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/31/books/review/elon-musk-trust-misinformation-disinformation.html?searchResultPosition=11
This source addresses the challenges of misinformation in our society, especially in a time filled with less trust in and information sources. It explores the involvement misinformation has on democratic processes and societal trust.
Warren, Sulaiman, A., & Jaafar, N. I. (2014). Social media effects on fostering online civic engagement and building citizen trust and trust in institutions. Government Information Quarterly, 31(2), 291–301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2013.11.007
The research in this study investigates the effects of social media on fostering online civic engagement and building trust among citizens and institutions. It explores how social media platforms can serve for civic participation and community building, and the positives and negatives associated with online engagement.
