The role of traditional and social media in political socialization

Abstract

This exploratory study investigates the role of traditional and social media in political socialization of Pakistani university students and their voting behavior through exposure. This study applied survey approach to get responses from (n=350 University students in Islamabad, age 20-25). In order identify voting behavior, awareness level, voters’ use of traditional and social media. It was found that there was weak relationship between exposure to social media and manifesto of political parties, political personalities, and perception about citizens, political ideology and ethics of politics. There was moderate yet significant relationship between watching TV news and manifesto of political parties and political personalities and weak relationship between watching TV and perception about citizens, political ideology and ethics of politics. There was also found weak relationship between reading newspaper and manifesto of political parties, very weak relationship between reading newspaper and political personalities, perception about citizens, political ideology and ethics of politics. Time on exposure found to be significant and high during night for TV watching, however, the highest rate of exposure found to be the social media at night, while the reading number of newspapers in the morning found to be very weak. The scale of Knowledge about Political Parties and political personalities were found on average as more favorable to somewhat, however on average, exposure to voting behavior showed enhancement Political participation showed greatly (high), except perception to campaign which is (somewhat) moderate. The study recommends that Pakistani youth as social media users should socialize themselves about voting behavior; politics, women rights and people campaign on social media and television as well.