Presenter(s)
Rachel Young, Jacob Mantle
Files
Download Project (161 KB)
Description
The goal of our research is to explore the relationship between political media consumption and political activity among young people in the United States. Specifically, we are interested in examining the role of political media in shaping American young people’s perceptions of the importance of being politically involved. Political participation is essential to a functioning democracy. Discovering how young people’s consumption of political media impacts their perception of the importance of political involvement will provide insight into potential avenues for increasing political participation among young people. The distinction between civic and political activity is illustrated in the literature review. Despite the lack of research, we know political involvement contributes to a stable democracy. By focusing on how to accomplish this among young people, our research will provide practical solutions to ensure the functioning of American democracy for generations to come.Much of our research is focused on social media, particularly Facebook, because of its popularity and the role it has played in the last few presidential elections in the United States. Additionally, social media is prominent among young people with 84% of Americans ages 18-29 reporting they use at least one social media site (Pew Research Center, 2021). Through our secondary research using data collected from 1,228 Americans ages 16-29 (Vromen et al., 2013), we hope to discover what motivates young people, the future of our country, to become politically active.
Publication Date
4-19-2023
Project Designation
Course Project 202310 COM 503 01
Primary Advisor
Jee-Hee Han
Primary Advisor's Department
Communication
Keywords
Stander Symposium, College of Arts and Sciences
Institutional Learning Goals
Scholarship; Critical Evaluation of Our Times
Recommended Citation
"Explicating the Relationship between Social Media and Offline Political Engagement among American Youths" (2023). Stander Symposium Projects. 3176.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/stander_posters/3176

Comments
Presentation: 10:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m., Kennedy Union Ballroom