Surfing to the political extremes: Digital media, social media, and policy attitude polarization

Jason Gainous and Kevin M. Wagner

Social Science Quarterly, 2023, vol. 104, issue 4, 547-558

Abstract: Background Cable news makes it possible for consumers to avoid information that challenges their predispositions, and the Internet makes it even easier. Cable news consumption is related to attitude extremity, but the extant literature is absent empirical examination of how the two may work together. Objectives This study aims to contribute to our understanding of the relationship between media consumption and policy attitude extremity. In particular,, it asks how digital media consumption may combine with cable or traditional mass media to drive higher levels of polarization and attitude extremity. Methods We use American National Election Studies and data reduction methods to model and measure the gathering of political information to compare the relationship between different forms of media consumption and policy attitude extremity. Results Our results indicate that, independently, the consumption of both “partisan” cable news and “non‐partisan” political digital information have the same positive relationship to attitude extremity across four major issue domains (economy, federal spending, social issues, and foreign affairs) and that when combined into a single index, the relationship is stronger than their independent relationships. Finally, the results suggest that the combined effect is strongest among those who consume more liberal cable news. Conclusion Our high choice media environment contributes to the polarized climate in the United States today.

Date: 2023
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