Abstract

In a democracy, political advertising should offer truthful information so voters can make informed decisions about candidates. Given changes in political advertising (digital media, regulations), voters may not have the requisite political advertising literacy to critically scrutinize and evaluate political messages, leading them to be persuaded by false advertisements. Using the Persuasion Knowledge Model (PKM) as theoretical framework, we compare three forms of persuasion knowledge (PK) about political advertising (objective, subjective, topic) to test how these types of knowledge relate to one another and to a common coping response strategy of PK: skepticism of political advertising. Results of a survey comprised of a national sample of U.S. voters show low objective persuasion knowledge about political advertising, especially for digital messages and regulation and relatively low-middle topic (political knowledge). As predicted, the more knowledge about politics in general (i.e., topic knowledge) the respondents had, the more objective and subjective persuasion knowledge they had about political advertising. Topic knowledge and subjective persuasion knowledge (but not objective persuasion knowledge) predicted skepticism toward political advertising. Ramifications for theory development of PKM and for future political advertising literacy interventions are discussed.

摘要

在民主国家，政治广告应该提供真实的信息，以便选民可以对候选人做出明智的决定。鉴于政治广告（数字媒体、法规）的变化，选民可能没有必要的政治广告素养来批判性地审查和评估政治信息，导致他们被虚假广告所说服。使用说服知识模型 (PKM) 作为理论框架，我们比较了关于政治广告的三种形式的说服知识 (PK)（客观、主观、主题），以测试这些类型的知识如何相互关联以及如何与常见的应对策略相关联PK：对政治广告的怀疑。一项由美国选民的全国样本组成的调查结果显示，他们对政治广告的客观说服知识水平较低，特别是对于数字消息和监管以及相对中低的主题（政治知识）。正如预测的那样，受访者对政治的一般知识（即话题知识）越多，他们对政治广告的客观和主观说服知识就越多。话题知识和主观说服知识（但不是客观说服知识）预测了对政治广告的怀疑。讨论了对 PKM 理论发展和未来政治广告素养干预的影响。话题知识和主观说服知识（但不是客观说服知识）预测了对政治广告的怀疑。讨论了对 PKM 理论发展和未来政治广告素养干预的影响。话题知识和主观说服知识（但不是客观说服知识）预测了对政治广告的怀疑。讨论了对 PKM 理论发展和未来政治广告素养干预的影响。