Communication's Next Top Model
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This study compared the Differential Gains Model and Communication Mediation Model in predicting political participation and knowledge. The Communication Mediation Model, which posits that interpersonal communication mediates the effects of mass communication, was more supported. Political discussion was found to better serve as a mediator rather than an interaction term. Fox News uniquely predicted participation and knowledge compared to other media. Online discussion also motivated political engagement. Direct media effects were larger than interactive effects on participation, while media reliance effects were larger than media-interaction effects on participation and knowledge.
Communication's Next Top Model
- 1. Comparing the Differential Gains and Communication Mediation Models as Predictors of Political Participation and Knowledge Hong Vu, Joseph Yoo, Maegan Stephens, Brian Barech, Rachel Reis Mourao & Tom Johnson The University of Texas at Austin Communication’s Next Top Model:
- 2. Introduction • Well-agreed: Interpersonal communication works in tandem with mass communication to influence political participation and knowledge. • But which model better explains the relationship between media, discussion, and political effects? Differential Gains? Communication Mediation Model?
- 3. Literature • Differential Gains Model (Scheufele and colleagues) The political effects of news media messages are contingent upon the media’s interaction with interpersonal communication. • Communication Mediation Model (Shah and colleagues) Mass Communication has an influence on political aspects but such relationship is indirect: interpersonal communication mediates the effects
- 4. Additional Theoretical Inquiry • Would wider range of media reliance variables influence the predictive power of the two models?
- 5. Hypothesesand ResearchQuestions Interaction effects on political outcomes: H1- Exposure to news media; H2- Interaction between news media and face- to-face communication, and; H3 - Interaction between news media and online communication: Greater political outcomes (e.g., online, offline political participation, and knowledge). Which effects are larger? Direct or interaction? RQ1 media vs. interaction bt. media & face-to-face; RQ2 media vs. interaction bt. media & online comm
- 6. Hypothesesand ResearchQuestions • Mediation effects on political outcomes: • H4 – Face-to-face communication: • H5 – Online communication: • Mediate the relationship between news media and political outcomes. • Which effects are larger? Mediation or direct? • RQ3: Media reliance vs. mediation bt. Media & face- to-face communication. • RQ4: Media reliance vs. mediation bt. Media & online communication
- 7. Method Amazon Mechanical Turk survey N = 1267 U.S. respondents Analysis Hierarchical regression analysis (Differential Gains Model) Path analysis (Communication Mediation Model)
- 8. Independent variables Online/Offline FOX/CNN/MSNBC Newspapers News Magazines News & Talk Radio Age Gender Race Education Income Party Ties Ideology Interest Online Discussion Interpersonal Discussion Interaction Variables
- 10. Results • Offline political participation is predicted by: • Media reliance: • Radio news, • Fox news • Political discussion: • Both online and offline discussion • Interaction: • Face-to-face discussion – Fox News; • Online discussion and print news; radio news; and Fox news.
- 11. Results (cont.) • Online Political participation is predicted by: • Interaction: print news - online discussion • Political knowledge is predicted by no variable • Comparing effects on political participation (RQ1 &RQ2): • Direct effects of media > interaction - face-to- face discussion on political participation; • Effects of media reliance > media interaction – online discussion
- 12. Research Questions and Hypotheses
- 13. Discussion • Comparison of two models: • No perfect prediction on either of the two • Differential Gains: Little support • Communication Mediation: Considerable support. • Political discussion should be used as mediation rather than interaction in predicting political participation and knowledge. • Fox News is different from other media variables in predicting political knowledge and participation. • Online discussion is important in motivating people to engage in political activities.