@article{2022:schaaf:media_use_,
title = {Media use and protest participation – but what is in-between? The role of different sources of information, media-related perceptions, and political efficacy for protest behavior},
year = {2022},
note = {Many studies show a positive relationship between media use and
protest participation. Yet, the picture becomes less clear-cut for
different types of media (traditional vs. social media). Thus, the
mechanisms underlying these mobilizing media effects remain vague.
This paper attempts to address this research gap by looking more
closely at media-related factors (evaluation of media coverage about
one’s protest group) and relating them to participatory predictors
(political efficacy). Based on a survey of activists (N = 132) from
randomly selected protest groups in Germany, we analyze both media
perceptions and political efficacy as mediators between the use of
different information sources and protest behavior. Path analyses
showed that using traditional news media and social media was
differently related to collective action: In contrast to social media,
using traditional news media were related to a positive impression how
the media covered one’s own group. This perception of the media
coverage was linked to greater political efficacy and, ultimately more
protest behavior offline. Yet, the model paths differed for activists
from different groups, e.g. environmental groups vs. so-called
“concerned citizens” who protested against the governmental
measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic.},
journal = {SCM Studies in Communication and Media},
pages = {210--239},
author = {Schaaf, Marlene and Viehmann, Christina},
volume = {11},
number = {2}
}