Abstract

As digital media use has rapidly increased in prevalence and diversified in form, scholars across the globe have focused extensive attention on how the use of digital media relates to political participation. To assess the results of this emerging body of research, we conduct the first meta-analysis of repeated-wave panel data studies on the relationship between digital media use and political participation. The findings, based on 38 survey-based, repeated-wave panel studies (279 coefficients) bring new evidence to bear on two questions central to this literature. First, the findings provide new insight into the classic mobilization versus reinforcement debate: contrary to common assumption, the findings support a reinforcement effect, whereby those who are already politically active are motivated to use digital media. Second, the results indicate that the relationship between digital media use and political participation is durable, as studies with a longer time lag were more likely to yield positive and significant effects. Taken together, this evidence in support of a durable reinforcement effect implies the potential for digital media use to contribute to increased inequality in political participation over time. In the concluding discussion, we outline directions for further theoretical inquiry and empirical research that leverage the value of repeated-wave panel studies to make causal inferences.

中文翻译：

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数字媒体使用与政治参与之间的强化效应：重复波面板数据的荟萃分析

摘要

随着数字媒体使用的迅速普及和形式的多样化，全球学者广泛关注数字媒体的使用与政治参与的关系。为了评估这一新兴研究机构的结果，我们对数字媒体使用与政治参与之间的关系进行了重复波面板数据研究的首次荟萃分析。这些发现基于38个基于调查的重复波面板研究（279个系数），为该文献的两个核心问题提供了新的证据。首先，研究结果为经典动员与强化提供了新的见解辩论：与通常的假设相反，研究结果支持一种增强效应，即那些已经在政治上活跃的人被激励使用数字媒体。其次，结果表明，数字媒体使用与政治参与之间的关系是持久的，因为时滞较长的研究更有可能产生积极而显着的影响。综上所述，支持持久强化效应的证据表明，随着时间的流逝，数字媒体的使用可能会加剧政治参与中的不平等现象。在最后的讨论中，我们概述了进一步的理论探究和实证研究的方向，这些研究利用重复波面板研究的价值进行因果推理。