Presidential Election Campaigns and American Democracy: The Relationship Between Communication Use and Normative Outcomes
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Date
2005-09-01Author
Michael Pfau
J. Brian Houston
Shane M. Semmler
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Abstract
There is very little research about the relative influence of campaign communication forms or venues on normative outcomes concerning the extent to which campaign communication promotes or degrades basic democratic values. This investigation assesses the relative impact of 17 communication forms on three normative outcomes: political expertise, which embodies people’s awareness, knowledge, and interest in politics; attitude about the process used to elect candidates; and likelihood of participating in the political process. Data are based on results of two national surveys conducted in different phases of the 2004 presidential campaign. Hierarchical regression analyses are used to evaluate the relative influence of the 17 communication forms on normative outcomes, controlling for sociodemographic variables.
Citation
Pfau, M., Houston, J. B., & Semmler, S. M. (2005). Presidential Election Campaigns and American Democracy: The Relationship Between Communication Use and Normative Outcomes. American Behavioral Scientist, 49(1), 48-62. doi: 10.1177/0002764205279429