Looking at the Influence of Individual Differences and Media Use on Political Polarization During the 2012 Presidential Primary Season, and Considering the Language of Polarization

• In Event: Advances in Language and Social Psychology: New Research Directions

Abstract

There was much criticism levelled during the 2012 presidential campaign season about the lack of willingness on the part of the candidates and their parties to compromise on numerous issues. In such a climate it is important to assess the factors that may contribute to how polarized members of the electorate are. In this study we applied a uses and gratifications/social identity theoretical approach to examine how specific social/psychological characteristics of potential voters (i.e., party identification, conservatism/liberalism, political cynicism), their motives for using media for political information (entertainment, political identity, opinion leadership, candidate and issue evaluation, information seeking), the media they choose, their perceptions of how media are biased against their political party, and their relative degree of psychological involvement with political fare may predict political polarization among members of different political parties. Three hundred and sixty-one participants (Mean Age = 33.88; SD = 18.43) were recruited to complete questions assessing those variables. The results showed that participants’ political ideology (i.e., conservatism/liberalism), was the most significant predictor of polarization for both Democrat and Republican participants. Even though the extent to which participants identified with their political party did not link with polarized political attitudes, party identification did influence media use, perceptions of media bias, and psychological involvement with the political campaign. Results are discussed in terms of social/political identity, Uses and Gratification, and political ideology.

Authors

• Mei-Chen Lin, Kent State U

• Paul Haridakis, Kent State U

• Gary Hanson, Kent State U

• Bin Xing, Kent State U