70 results on '"Xenos, Michael A."'
Search Results
2. Social media news deserts: Digital inequalities and incidental news exposure on social media platforms.
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Barnidge, Matthew and Xenos, Michael A
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SOCIAL media , *MEDIA exposure - Abstract
Some people live in social media "news deserts," while others are embedded in online networks that are rich in news content. These news deserts represent a new form of digital inequality—distinct from problems of access, resources, or civic skills—that could foreclose one of the ways social media are believed to contribute to informing citizens and engaging them in democratic processes: providing opportunities for incidental news exposure. This study investigates incidental exposure on social media platforms, drawing on an online survey administered just before the 2018 US Midterm Elections (N = 1493). The study finds that even after controlling for key individual-level factors, characteristics of social media discussion networks play a role in explaining variation in incidental exposure. The results are discussed in light of prevailing theory about incidental exposure, public engagement, and digital inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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3. The blind spots of measuring online news exposure: a comparison of self-reported and observational data in nine countries.
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González-Bailón, Sandra and Xenos, Michael A.
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NEWS consumption , *POLITICAL knowledge , *MEASUREMENT errors , *ACQUISITION of data , *COUNTRIES - Abstract
Measures of news exposure are common in research that tries to explain political knowledge, political engagement, opinion formation and, more generally, media effects. Much of that research employs self-reported measures obtained with surveys, known to suffer from accuracy problems. Observational measures, however, also suffer from limitations derived from data collection and instrumentation. Here we offer new comparative evidence on the nature of those problems. We show that commonly used self-report measures of digital news consumption are problematic for three reasons: they only pay attention to a small fraction of all available sources; they underestimate audience share; and they distort the relative position of news sites in visibility rankings. Measurement problems, however, also exist in observational studies, especially when mobile access is excluded from data collection. Our analyses quantify the magnitude of these problems, offering unprecedented comparative evidence of online news consumption that spans nine countries and a period of five years. We discuss the implications of our findings for future research on news exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2023
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4. Incidental news exposure via social media and political participation: Evidence of reciprocal effects.
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Lee, Sangwon and Xenos, Michael
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POLITICAL participation , *MASS media & politics , *SOCIAL media , *AUTOREGRESSIVE models , *PANEL analysis , *CAUSAL models - Abstract
The aim of this study is to investigate the causal direction of the relationship between incidental news exposure via social media and political participation. Unlike prior studies, which have relied on cross-sectional data to examine this link, we used two panel data sets to better identify causal relationships. Specifically, we evaluate two unidirectional models (i.e. mobilization and reinforcement) and a reciprocal causal model using both cross-lagged and autoregressive path models. The findings reveal a more complex relationship than most previous studies have suggested. The relationship between incidental news exposure via social media and political participation appears to be reciprocal, with incidental news exposure and political participation indirectly influencing each other through social media use for political purposes. Furthermore, while the relationship between incidental news exposure and political participation is reciprocal, the participation-to-incidental news exposure path exerted a stronger effect than the reverse path in both studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2022
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5. Lived Experience, Shared Knowledge: Reimagining Community-Driven Science Communication Research.
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Newman, Todd P., Williamson, Lillie D., and Xenos, Michael A.
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SCIENTIFIC communication , *INFORMATION sharing , *PUBLIC understanding of science , *MEDICAL communication , *AFRICAN Americans - Abstract
This essay advocates for a transformative, community-centric approach to science communication, promoting inclusivity and recognizing the impact of lived experiences. We challenge the prevalent population-centric approach and underscore the importance of engaging persistently marginalized communities, notably Black Americans. Drawing from health communication literature, we unveil a comprehensive project aimed at understanding Black Americans' experiences and perspectives on science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2024
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6. Building Better Bridges: Toward a Transdisciplinary Science Communication.
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Johnson, Jenell and Xenos, Michael A.
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RHETORIC , *SOCIAL sciences , *TECHNOLOGICAL innovations , *RHETORICIANS , *SOCIAL scientists - Abstract
In this article the authors envision a more durable and portable model of scholarship on public engagement with science through partnerships between rhetoricians of science and quantitative social scientists. The authors consider a number of barriers and limitations that make such partnerships difficult, with an eye toward discovering ways that researchers may overcome them. The authors conclude by articulating guidelines for reciprocal transdisciplinary work as well as specific recommended practices for such collaborations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2019
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7. Social distraction? Social media use and political knowledge in two U.S. Presidential elections.
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Lee, Sangwon and Xenos, Michael
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UNITED States elections , *LEARNING , *DISTRACTION , *SOCIAL media , *CROSS-sectional method - Abstract
Abstract With increasing numbers of people using social media to get news and political information, whether social media helps users learn about politics has become an important question. Intrigued by the potential of social media to politically educate people, researchers have begun to explore the effects of social media on political knowledge. However, the findings from these studies have been far from conclusive. Drawing on both cross-sectional and panel data from two recent United States presidential elections, this study examines how political social media use and general social media use influence political knowledge. Overall, the results of the cross-sectional and panel analyses lead to the same conclusions. Both show that political social media use does not have a significant effect on political knowledge, while general social media use has a moderately negative effect on political knowledge. Thus, on balance, the overall impact of social media on political knowledge appears to be negative. Implications and directions for future research are discussed. Highlights • General social media use has a moderately negative effect on political knowledge. • Political social media use does not have a significant effect on political knowledge. • On balance, the overall impact of social media on political knowledge is negative. • Findings hold consistent across two different U.S. presidential election cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2019
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8. Uncivil and personal? Comparing patterns of incivility in comments on the Facebook pages of news outlets.
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Yi-Fan Su, Leona, Xenos, Michael A., Rose, Kathleen M., Wirz, Christopher, Scheufele, Dietram A., and Brossard, Dominique
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SOCIAL media , *MACHINE learning , *CONTENT analysis , *ONLINE social networks - Abstract
Social media and its embedded user commentary are playing increasingly influential roles in the news process. However, researchers' understanding of the social media commenting environment remains limited, despite rising concerns over uncivil comments. Accordingly, this study used a supervised machine learning-based method of content analysis to examine the extent and patterns of incivility in the comment sections of 42 US news outlets' Facebook pages over an 18-month period in 2015-2016. These outlets were selected as being broadly representative of national, local, conservative, and liberal- news media. The findings provide the first empirical evidence that both the level and the targets of incivility in the comments posted on news outlets' Facebook pages vary greatly according to such entities' general type and ideological stance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2018
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9. Understanding variations in user response to social media campaigns: A study of Facebook posts in the 2010 US elections.
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Xenos, Michael A., Macafee, Timothy, and Pole, Antoinette
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UNITED States elections , *SOCIAL media & politics , *POLITICAL campaigns , *COMPUTER network resources ,UNITED States Congressional elections ,UNITED States gubernatorial elections - Abstract
Political candidates increasingly have incorporated social media tools like Facebook into their campaigns. Such tools enable supporters to interact directly and easily with campaigns, creating an immediate and relatively informal way for users to respond to candidate messages and publicly display their support. Previous research has explored how campaigns have used social media, or how the use of social media may be related to political engagement. In this study, we provide a systematic analysis of variations in user response to candidate messaging through Facebook. Our results shed new light on the dynamics of online campaigning through social media and engagement with supporters through digital media. Specifically, our findings show that variations in the tone, timing, and content of posts, as distinct from contextual factors, are significantly related to how users respond through “likes” and comments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2017
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10. Young people, social media and connective action: from organisational maintenance to everyday political talk.
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Vromen, Ariadne, Xenos, Michael A., and Loader, Brian
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YOUNG adults , *SOCIAL media , *ORGANIZATIONAL structure , *EVERYDAY life , *CITIZENSHIP - Abstract
Social media is pervasive in the lives of young people, and this paper critically analyses how politically engaged young people integrate social media use into their existing organisations and political communications. This qualitative research project studied how young people from a broad range of existing political and civic groups use social media for sharing information, mobilisation and, increasingly, as a means to redefine political action and political spaces. Twelve in-person focus groups were conducted in Australia, the USA and the UK with matched affinity groups based on university campuses. The groups were of four types: party political group, issue-based group, identity-based group and social group. Our focus group findings suggest that this in-depth approach to understanding young people's political engagement reveals important group-based differences emerging in young people's citizenship norms: between the dutiful allegiance to formal politics and a more personalised, self-actualising preference for online, discursive forms of political engagement and organising. The ways in which political information is broadcast, shared and talked about on social media by engaged young people demonstrate the importance of communicative forms of action for the future of political engagement and connective action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2015
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11. Politics As Usual or PoliticsUnusual? Position-Taking and Issue Dialogue on Campaign WebSites.
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Xenos, Michael and Foot, Kirsten
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WEBSITES , *INTERNET , *POLITICAL campaigns , *PRACTICAL politics , *POLITICAL candidates - Abstract
In the 2002 midterm election cycle, scholarly and casual observers of online politics noted the extent to which use of the Internet as a campaign tool for political candidates has become familiar and widespread. As the use of the Web by candidates increases, so too does the significance of scholarly debates over whether the Web is having a discernable impact on the political behaviors of office seekers and voters. Many consider the web to be nothing more than an additional medium alongside others in which established patterns of political behavior and information flows are played out anew, while others contend that the special characteristics of the Web hold the potential to produce fundamentally different patterns of political behavior than those found offline. Fortunately, the increasing prevalence of candidate Web sites also increases our ability to test these competing claims on the basis of structured observation of politics online. In this paper, we shed some light on this debate by analyzing the occurrence of position taking and issue dialogue on campaign Web sites. Though some of our analysis confirms the idea that the Web has done little to revolutionize campaigning, we also identify a number of ways in which the individual messages and overall political information environment created by candidates and available to voters through the Web in the 2002 midterms did not conform to the usual patterns found in the offline world of print and broadcast communication surrounding candidate issue stances. We conclude by discussing the implications of these findings for future research on information technology and politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2004
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12. Online Campaigning in the 2002 U.S. Elections: Analyzing House, Senate and Gubernatorial Campaign Web Sites.
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Foot, Kirsten A., Xenos, Michael, and Schneider, Steven M.
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INTERNET in political campaigns , *UNITED States elections , *WEBSITES , *GUBERNATORIAL elections ,UNITED States Congressional elections - Abstract
In this paper we analyze the online campaigning practices of U.S. congressional and gubernatorial campaigns in the 2002 election based on the largest empirical study of U.S. campaign Web sites to date. The research questions guiding this study included the following. First, how did campaigns ‘campaign on the Web’ by adapting traditional practices to the Web environment? Second, how did campaigns take advantage of the unique capacities of the Web? Third, do campaign Web sites share a common set of features in sufficient numbers to be considered a ‘genre?’ Fourth, how useful are political-structural variables such as party affiliation and campaign intensity in explaining the Web practices of candidates in the 2002 election? Our findings demonstrate that while a majority of campaigns adapted traditional campaign practices to the online environment, relatively few made use of the unique capacities of the Web. However, there is an identifiable core of features around which a genre of Web sites has emerged. Finally, in contrast with the ‘normalization’ argument (Margolis and Resnick, 2000, Bimber and Davis, In Press), we found that political-structural variables such as party affiliation and campaign intensity hold limited explanatory power in relation to online campaigning practices when assessed on a large scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2003
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13. The great equalizer? Patterns of social media use and youth political engagement in three advanced democracies.
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Xenos, Michael, Vromen, Ariadne, and Loader, Brian D.
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SOCIAL media , *POLITICAL participation , *ARAB Spring Uprisings, 2010-2012 , *OPTIMISM , *DEMOCRACY - Abstract
Recent developments suggest a strong relationship between social media use and political engagement and raise questions about the potential for social media to help stem or even reverse patterns of political inequality that have troubled scholars for years. In this paper, we articulate a model of social media and political engagement among young people, and test it using data from representative samples of young people in Australia, the USA, and the UK. Our results suggest a strong, positive relationship between social media use and political engagement among young people across all three countries, and provide additional insights regarding the role played by social media use in the processes by which young people become politically engaged. Notably, our results also provide reasons to be optimistic concerning the overall influence of this popular new form of digital media on longstanding patterns of political inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2014
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14. Stimulating Upstream Engagement: An Experimental Study of Nanotechnology Information Seeking.
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Xenos, Michael A., Becker, Amy B., Anderson, Ashley A., Brossard, Dominique, and Scheufele, Dietram A.
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INFORMATION-seeking behavior , *NANOTECHNOLOGY , *DISCUSSION , *PARTICIPATION , *OPINION (Philosophy) - Abstract
Objectives The current study examines upstream engagement initiatives using the issue of nanotechnology as a case study. Methods A series of logistic and OLS regression analyses explore data from a laboratory experiment on information-seeking behavior, knowledge, and willingness to engage with the issue of nanotechnology in the future. Results Our results fail to offer evidence of positive relationships between anticipated discussion and learning and the willingness to engage with the issue of nanotechnology in the future. In addition, our results show that anticipated discussion with opposing others actually encourages individuals to seek out an editorial or opinion piece first as opposed to a news item. Conclusion Our findings point toward important variations in the kinds of information-seeking behaviors likely to emerge from different conditions under which individuals may be motivated to learn more about emerging science issues, and provide practical insights into which kinds of information-seeking behaviors are most conducive to knowledge gain and issue engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2011
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15. Of Attitudes and Engagement: Clarifying the Reciprocal Relationship Between Civic Attitudes and Political Participation.
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Gastil, John and Xenos, Michael
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POLITICAL communication , *STRUCTURAL equation modeling , *COMMUNICATION education ,UNITED States presidential election, 2004 - Abstract
In this essay, we draw on broader psychological theories of the attitude–behavior relationship to postulate specific reciprocal patterns of causality between the civic attitudes and forms of political and civic engagement featured in contemporary political communication research. We then examine the extent of these reciprocal relationships with a 2-wave panel survey of 2,872 Pacific Northwest residents. Spanning the 2004 elections, structural equation modeling of the panel data shows complex reciprocal causal paths between political/civic attitudes (internal and external efficacy and civic pride and faith) and a range of political and civic behaviors (voting, political action, media use, political/community talk, and group involvement). The conclusion suggests how to conceptualize these variables and model their relationships in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2010
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16. Direct and Differential Effects of the Internet on Political and Civic Engagement.
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Xenos, Michael and Moy, Patricia
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POLITICAL participation , *DATABASES , *POLITICAL science , *INTERNET , *AMERICANS , *ELECTRONIC information resources , *INTERNET & society , *CIVICS , *COMPUTER network resources , *PSYCHOLOGY - Abstract
Given the significant rise in the number of Americans who turn to the Internet for political information, examines the effects of these behaviors on political and civic engagement in an evolving media landscape. Specifically, the authors test hypotheses derived from competing models - the instrumental approach, which posits direct effects of Internet use, and a psychological approach, which predicts contingent effects. Analyses of 1,212 surveys from the 2004 American National Election Studies reveal a pattern of direct effects of Internet use on basic information acquisition and use but contingent effects for concrete acts of civic or political engagement. These results provide an important window on the political impacts of contemporary Internet use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2007
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17. The Disconnection In Online Politics: the youth political web sphere and US election sites, 2002-2004.
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Xenos, Michael and Bennett, W. Lance
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YOUTH in politics , *WEBSITES , *POLITICAL participation , *UNITED States elections , *POLITICAL communication , *POLITICAL science , *SOCIAL participation , *HYPERLINKS , *COMPUTER network resources - Abstract
In recent years, candidates and other political actors have dramatically increased their presence and activities online. Although the notion of these activities reaching beyond a limited set of early-adopters is relatively new, younger citizens have long been at the forefront of new developments on the web and continue to make up a substantial proportion of those seeking political information online. Given longstanding concern over levels of civic and political engagement among young people, questions concerning what young people seeking information and opportunities for political involvement online might find there are particularly relevant. In particular, we explore political websites that are directly targeted at younger voters (e.g. Rock the Vote and similar sites), websites produced by candidates and political parties, and possible linkages between these two web spheres. Based on content and hyperlink analyses spanning the 2002 and 2004 US election cycles, we find a complex evolution of the online political information environment offered to youth. Although the youth engagement web sphere experienced dramatic growth during this time period, our data also identify a reluctance of many mainstream political actors to speak directly to young people through the web, and a surprising underdevelopment of linkages between youth politics websites and the wider web of political information online. We conclude by considering the implications of these patterns for future research on the role of new media in processes of political communication and engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2007
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18. PRIMING EFFECTS OF LATE-NIGHT COMEDY.
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Moy, Patricia, Xenos, Michael A., and Hess, Verena K.
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COMEDY , *SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC factors , *MASS media , *PRESIDENTIAL elections , *POLITICAL campaigns , *PRIMING (Psychology) , *TELEVISION viewers - Abstract
Having become fully integrated into the contemporary political landscape, infotainment-oriented media extend Americans' traditional news (e.g. newspaper, radio, and television) to include a greater number of sources for political information, and in some cases, political mobilization. Given the increasing prominence of infotainment-oriented media in contemporary politics, this study addresses the effects of one particular type of info-tainment—late-night comedy—during the 2000 presidential campaign. Specifically, we are interested in whether watching late-night comedy shows influences viewers' evaluations of the candidates who have appeared on these shows; in particular, we investigate priming as the mechanism by which such influences occur. Findings from the 2000 National Annenberg Election Survey (N = 11,482) indicate that evaluations of candidates are based in part on respondents' sociodemographics, perceptions of candidates to handle certain issues, and their character traits. There was a main effect of watching late-night comedy on evaluations of candidates; more importantly, viewers were more likely than nonviewers to base their evaluations of George W. Bush on character traits after he appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2006
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19. Politics As Usual, or Politics Unusual? Position Taking and Dialogue on Campaign Websites in the 2002 U.S. Elections.
- Author
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Xenos, Michael A. and Foot, Kirsten A.
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WORLD Wide Web , *BIOPOLITICS (Sociobiology) , *MULTIMEDIA systems , *ELECTIONS , *WEBSITES , *BROADCASTING industry , *POLITICAL campaigns - Abstract
Many consider the World Wide Web to be nothing more than an additional medium alongside others in which established patterns of political behavior and information flows are played out anew others contend that the special characteristics of the Web hold the potential to produce fundamentally different patterns of political behavior than those found off line. This article analyzes the occurrence of position taking and issue dialogue on campaign websites associated with a random sample of 200 races from the Us. 2002 election cycle. Though this study found some similarities between online and offline campaigning, it also identified ways in which the individual messages and overall political information environment created by candidates and available to voters through the Web in 2002 did not conform to the usual patterns found in the offline world of print and broadcast communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2005
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20. Media Framing and Effective Public Deliberation.
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Simon, Adam and Xenos, Michael
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MASS media & politics , *PUBLIC opinion , *TRANSPORT worker strikes & lockouts - Abstract
Examines the public discourse associated with the 1997 Teamsters strike against the United Parcel Service in the United States. Role of political issues on the formation of public opinion; Origins of public opinion; Reliance of the public for political information on the mass media.
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- 2000
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21. U.S. attitudes on human genome editing: Although views on human genome editing differ, all want public engagement.
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Scheufele, Dietram A., Xenos, Michael A., Howell, Emily L., Rose, Kathleen M., Brossard, Dominique, and Hardy, Bruce W.
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GENOME editing , *HUMAN genome , *FETUS , *ETHICS - Abstract
The article discusses report on the science, ethics and governance of human genome editing released by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) arguing for incorporating public engagement into the policy-making process for human genome editing. It mentions the STAT-Harvard survey suggesting that 35percent U.S. citizens would support therapeutic treatment of unborn babies. It adds public's view sought on role of scientists in guiding technologies.
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- 2017
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22. Editorial.
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Brewer, Paul R and Xenos, Michael A
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INTERNET publishing , *PUBLISHING , *ELECTRONIC publishing - Abstract
In the article, the author offers information on the operational changes in the journal, particularly its shift to online-only publication starting January 2019.
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- 2018
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23. Polarized platforms? How partisanship shapes perceptions of "algorithmic news bias".
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Calice, Mikhaila N., Bao, Luye, Freiling, Isabelle, Howell, Emily, Xenos, Michael A., Yang, Shiyu, Brossard, Dominique, Newman, Todd P., and Scheufele, Dietram A.
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OBJECTIVITY in journalism , *FORM perception , *PARTISANSHIP , *SOCIAL media , *ARTIFICIAL intelligence , *NEWS consumption - Abstract
The use of artificial intelligence-based algorithms for the curation of news content by social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter has upended the gatekeeping role long held by traditional news outlets. This has caused some US policymakers to argue that platforms are skewing news diets against them, and such claims are beginning to take hold among some voters. In a nationally representative survey experiment, we explore whether traditional models of media bias perceptions extend to beliefs about algorithmic news bias. We find that partisan cues effectively shape individuals' attitudes about algorithmic news bias but have asymmetrical effects. Specifically, whereas in-group directional partisan cues stimulate bias perceptions for members of both parties, Democrats, but not Republicans, also respond to out-group cues. We conclude with a discussion about the implications for the formation of attitudes about new technologies and the potential for polarization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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24. Disconnected discourses.
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Yeo, Sara K., Xenos, Michael, Brossard, Dominique, and Scheufele, Dietram A.
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- 2014
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25. It’s not cricket: examining political discussion in nonpolitical online space.
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Yan, Wenjie, Sivakumar, Gayathri, and Xenos, Michael A.
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FORUMS , *DELIBERATIVE democracy , *DECISION making , *COMMUNITARIANISM , *INTERNET forums - Abstract
Scholars of digital democracy share enthusiasm about the potential the Internet provides for democratic communication among citizens. Many applaud the prospect of an expanded, digital, public sphere; others are more cautious about whether the Internet may foster deliberative democracy. We attempt to provide a third alternative view by (1) focusing on everyday political talk in nonpolitical online forums and (2) expanding research beyond a singular deliberative model to attend to multiple frameworks for democratic discussion online. In this paper, we examine online political discussion of six globally prominent political issues in two transnational cricket forums. Our findings suggest that deliberative discussion coexists with liberal individualist and communitarian forms of communication in online sports forums. We discuss the implications of our findings for the future of mediated political discussion research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
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26. Networks and Selective Avoidance: How Social Media Networks Influence Unfriending and Other Avoidance Behaviors.
- Author
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Barnidge, Matthew, Peacock, Cynthia, Kim, Bumsoo, Kim, Yonghwan, and Xenos, Michael A.
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SOCIAL networks , *PSYCHOLOGICAL factors , *POLITICAL communication , *SCHOLARLY communication , *SOCIAL media , *MOTIVATION (Psychology) , *USER-generated content - Abstract
From time to time, some social media users avoid content posted by specific people in their networks. Most research on such selective avoidance has focused on individual motivations and other psychological factors rather than on social network characteristics, and there is a need for a systematic analysis of the relationships between individuals' social media networks and selective avoidance. This study fills that gap in the literature, drawing on theory about egocentric or personal publics. We test our predictions using data from three surveys of adults in the United States, collected just before each of the last three major national elections. Results are discussed in light of theory about the role of media technology in shaping political communication and scholarly discourse about how selective avoidance affects information flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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27. The Daily Show and Political Learning: Experimental Tests of the Gateway Hypothesis.
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Xenos, Michael and Becker, Amy
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PUBLIC service television programs , *TELEVISION broadcasting of news , *POLITICAL science students , *TELEVISION viewers - Abstract
Political Science and Mass Communication scholars continue to investigate the positive relationship between exposure and attention to political comedy programs like The Daily Show and political knowledge. One dominant explanation for this relationship suggests that exposure to such programs facilitates the acquisition of political information from hard news sources, particularly among less politically sophisticated comedy viewers, thus serving as a gateway to political attention and knowledge. Previous studies have provided support for this explanation largely through cross-sectional survey data focused on learning from traditional hard news outlets such as television news. This research draws on data from two experimental studies conducted with undergraduates at a major Midwestern university to provide a more direct causal investigation of these processes and also expands the scope of hard news outlets considered to include online sources. Specifically, we test the effects of exposure to political comedy on subsequent attentiveness to particular stories in traditional news content, as well as on the acquisition of recallable knowledge. Our findings provide important support for the general causal claims within the gateway hypothesis, and also suggest that the increasing prevalence of online news consumption may serve to enhance its effects. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2009
28. Deliberation and Political Sophistication.
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Xenos, Michael
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PUBLIC opinion , *VOTING , *CITIZENSHIP , *POLITICAL planning ,UNITED States politics & government - Abstract
In this paper I advocate and explicate a deliberative conception of opinion and vote quality. I begin with a critical review of traditional approaches to opinion quality and political sophistication focusing on their underlying assumptions about ideal democratic governance and citizenship. The bulk of the critique offered stems from a thought-experiment designed to explore the likely character of politics in the United States if every citizen were a political sophisticate by these traditional standards. As an alternative, I then explore the same hypothetical scenario under counterpart assumptions drawn from deliberative democratic theory. In doing so, I compare the two scenarios directly on three dimensions. These dimensions include: policy development and stability, legitimacy of outcomes, and incentives for political participation. Based on this comparison, I contend that a deliberative approach to opinion and vote quality is preferable to those traditionally deployed in our field, and conclude with a discussion of ways in which deliberative qualities of opinion may be measured and analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2004
29. Everyday Making through Facebook Engagement: Young Citizens' Political Interactions in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
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Vromen, Ariadne, Loader, Brian D., Xenos, Michael A., and Bailo, Francesco
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SOCIAL media & politics , *YOUTH in politics , *MASS mobilization , *POLITICAL participation , *YOUNG adults - Abstract
The emergence of personalised, interactive forms of social media has led to questions about the use of these platforms for engagement in politics. Existing research focuses on whether political actors successfully engage citizens, and how social media platforms mobilise young people into offline participation. In this article, we present original survey data on how many young people use social media to do politics: share information, express themselves, and take action. Everyday Facebook use is underpinned by young people's engaged citizenship norms, and it has the potential to mobilise a broader range of young people. We contextualise the survey findings with qualitative analysis of how young people describe their willingness to engage in politics on social media. There is a general reluctance to take political action due to the possibility of conflict and disagreement within their networks; however, some acknowledge it is a way to bring the disengaged into political debate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
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30. Digital Youth, Innovation, and the Unexpected.
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Xenos, Michael A.
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DIGITAL technology , *NONFICTION - Abstract
The article reviews the book "The Revolution Will Not Be Downloaded: Dissent in the Digital Age," edited by Tara Brabazon.
- Published
- 2009
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31. Post-Broadcast Democracy: How Media Choice Increases Inequality in Political Involvement and Polarizes Elections, by Markus Prior.
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Xenos, Michael
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MASS media , *NONFICTION - Abstract
The article reviews the book "Post-Broadcast Democracy: How Media Choice Increases Inequality in Political Involvement and Polarizes Elections," by Markus Prior.
- Published
- 2009
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32. Public Opinion and Democratic Accountability: How Citizens Learn about Politics.
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Xenos, Michael
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PUBLIC opinion polls , *NONFICTION - Abstract
Reviews the book "Public Opinion and Democratic Accountability: How Citizens Learn About Politics," by Vincent L. Hutchings.
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- 2005
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33. Performing for the young networked citizen? Celebrity politics, social networking and the political engagement of young people.
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Loader, Brian D., Vromen, Ariadne, and Xenos, Michael A.
- Subjects
- *
YOUTH in politics , *POLITICAL participation , *CELEBRITIES , *POLITICIANS , *ONLINE social networks - Abstract
The use of social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, by politicians and entertainers to engage young citizens can be seen as a further example of the emergence of celebrity politics. While regarded by some commentators as further evidence of the trivialization of political life, this article adopts the alternative approach of those scholars who foreground the potential for popular culture and media entertainment to be more socially inclusive, democratizing and influential in public policy making. To-date analysis of celebrity politics has tended to be focused upon the media performances of politicians and political celebrities, based upon a single country and lacking empirical evidence. This article explores what young citizens drawn from three late-modern democratic societies (Australia, United Kingdom and the US) think about the use of social media by politicians and political celebrities and whether it influenced their own outlook on politics? Our conclusions are that young citizens are generally cautiously positive about both politicians and celebrities using social media but felt that they should learn to use it appropriately if they are to rebuild trust and credibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. Campus politics, student societies and social media.
- Author
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Loader, Brian D., Vromen, Ariadne, Xenos, Michael A., Steel, Holly, and Burgum, Samuel
- Subjects
- *
STUDENT unions , *COLLEGE students , *STUDENT political activity , *SOCIAL media , *SOCIAL capital , *UNIVERSITIES & colleges , *CITIZENSHIP - Abstract
The university campus has often been seen as an important site for the politicization of young people. Recent explanations for this have focused attention upon the role of the student union as a means to enable a 'critical mass' of previously isolated individuals to produce social networks of common interest. What is missing from these accounts, however, and what this article seeks to address, is how these factors actually facilitate the development of political norms and the active engagement of many students. Drawing upon qualitative data from three countries we argue that it is the milieu of the smaller student societies that are crucial for facilitating the habitus of the student citizen. They provide the space for creative development and performance of the political self, affiliations to particular fields and access to cultural and social capital. Moreover, we contend that these processes of politicization are increasingly enacted through social media networks that foreground their importance for developing political habitus in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. Beyond lifestyle politics in a time of crisis?: comparing young peoples’ issue agendas and views on inequality.
- Author
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Vromen, Ariadne, Loader, Brian D., and Xenos, Michael A.
- Subjects
- *
LIFESTYLES , *EQUALITY , *POSTMATERIALISM , *IDEOLOGY , *SOCIAL structure , *POLITICAL science - Abstract
Contemporary research on young people and politics portrays their political engagement as: individualised not collectivist; issue-driven not ideology-driven and postmaterialist instead of materialist. This shift towards ‘lifestyle politics’ is assumed to be universal among young people, rather than shaped by traditional social cleavages and structures. This paper investigates these assumptions and asks whether young people's experience of national economic austerity and increasing material inequality shapes the everyday political issues they identify with, and how they understand inequality and the distribution of resources in their societies. The analysis is based on responses to an open-ended question on key political issues of importance, in surveys of representative samples of 1200 young people aged 16–29 in 3 countries: Australia, the UK and the USA. Afterwards, we conducted online discussion groups with 107 young people, in which they were asked to discuss changes in the nature of equality in their societies. The findings show that there is a complex interdependence between individualised, everyday understandings of economic changeandan identity-based politics of equal rights. However, there are nuanced differences in understanding inequality, dependent on young people's national location and socioeconomic background. The implications these findings have for young people's future political engagement are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
36. The science of YouTube: What factors influence user engagement with online science videos?
- Author
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Yang, Shiyu, Brossard, Dominique, Scheufele, Dietram A., and Xenos, Michael A.
- Subjects
- *
STREAMING video & television , *SOCIAL science research , *SCIENTIFIC communication - Abstract
As the reach of science content in traditional media declines, many institutions and scientists are turning to YouTube as a powerful tool for communicating directly with non-expert publics. They do so with little empirical social science research guiding their efforts. This study explores how video characteristics and social endorsement cues provided by audience members might influence user engagement with online science videos. Shorter videos are more likely to be viewed. Social endorsement cues significantly relate to variations in user engagement, with likes having a consistent positive association with all types of engagement. Implications for science communication through YouTube are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
37. The networked young citizen: social media, political participation and civic engagement.
- Author
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Loader, Brian D., Vromen, Ariadne, and Xenos, Michael A.
- Subjects
- *
POLITICAL socialization , *SOCIAL media & society - Abstract
An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including the political engagement as expressions of political norms, political socialization, and impact of social media on the public orientation of young people.
- Published
- 2014
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
38. Narratives and Network Organization: A Comparison of Fair Trade Systems in Two Nations.
- Author
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Bennett, W. Lance, Foot, Kirsten, and Xenos, Michael
- Subjects
- *
NARRATIVES , *FAIR trade associations , *ASSOCIATIONS, institutions, etc. , *GATEKEEPING , *COMMUNICATIONS research - Abstract
The narratives that flow through networks can shed light on their organization. This analysis looks at the elaboration of fair trade networks in the United States and the United Kingdom, with a focus on the narrative control exercised by key gatekeeping organizations. Structural properties of the 2 networks reflect differences in centralization as measured through distance, closeness, and betweenness in relations among organizations. The analysis suggests that once a dominant story or entrenched opposing stories become established in a network, structural dynamics involving narrative choices, conflicts, and strategies can lead comparable networks to diverge even as they espouse the same cause. These differences affect the capacities of networks to mobilize for various kinds of activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2011
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
39. Candidates' Web Practices in the 2002 U.S. House, Senate, and Gubernatorial Elections.
- Author
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Foot, Kirsten, Schneider, Steven M., Xenos, Michael, and Dougherty, Meghan
- Subjects
- *
POLITICAL campaigns , *UNITED States elections , *POLITICAL planning , *INTERNET in political campaigns , *TECHNOLOGICAL innovations , *POLITICAL affiliation , *POLITICAL science , *COMPUTER network resources - Abstract
This study focuses on the extent to which U.S. campaigns are adapting traditional campaign strategies to the Web and/or developing innovative strategies that employ some of the particular affordances of Web technologies and on how well campaign characteristics, such as incumbency and major party affiliation, and/or race characteristics, such as statewide office and competitiveness, explain the level of a campaign's adaptation of or innovation with Web technologies. Adapting traditional campaigning proved to be far more common than developing innovative strategies. The findings suggest that additional aspects of campaigns' structure and organizational processes need to be studied in order to understand campaigns' Web technology adoption strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2009
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
40. Publics' Support for Novel and Established Science Issues Linked to Perceived Knowledge and Deference to Science.
- Author
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Akin, Heather, Cacciatore, Michael A., Yeo, Sara K., Brossard, Dominique, Scheufele, Dietram A., and Xenos, Michael A.
- Subjects
- *
PUBLIC support , *SCIENTIFIC literacy , *PUBLIC understanding of science , *SOCIAL science research , *SCIENTIFIC knowledge , *ATTITUDE (Psychology) - Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
41. Political and personality predispositions and topical contexts matter: Effects of uncivil comments on science news engagement intentions.
- Author
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Su, Leona Yi-Fan, Scheufele, Dietram A, Brossard, Dominique, and Xenos, Michael A
- Subjects
- *
NEGATIVITY bias , *PERSONALITY , *INTENTION , *SYNTHETIC biology , *SCIENTIFIC communication , *ONLINE comments - Abstract
Building on existing theoretical frameworks for the study of incivility, interactivity, and negativity bias, this study contributes to the growing body of literature on the impact of incivility in online comments. Specifically, it tests incivility's impact on news engagement intentions; investigates political and personality predispositions' roles as perceptual filters; and extends this scholarship to the context of multiple scientific news topics. It found that, when dealing with news about two of the more politically divisive technologies—fracking and synthetic biology—ideology moderated the effects of incivility, with uncivil comments encouraging engagement among conservatives but not among liberals. However, in the less politically divisive context of nanotechnology, self-monitoring played a significant role in moderating incivility's effects: with high self-monitors being more motivated, and low self-monitors less motivated, to share nanotech news after exposure to uncivil comments. These results imply that individual predispositions and topic-specific factors both underlie the impact of incivility on news engagement intentions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
42. The state of GMOs on social media: An analysis of state-level variables and discourse on Twitter in the United States.
- Author
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Wirz, Christopher D., Howell, Emily L., Brossard, Dominique, Xenos, Michael A., and Scheufele, Dietram A.
- Subjects
- *
TRANSGENIC organisms , *RURAL housing , *SOCIAL media in education , *SOCIAL media , *POLITICAL doctrines , *DISCOURSE , *MICROBLOGS - Abstract
Abstract: This study analyzes the relationship between state-level variables and Twitter discourse on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Using geographically identified tweets related to GMOs, we examined how the sentiments expressed about GMOs related to education levels, news coverage, proportion of rural and urban counties, state-level political ideology, amount of GMO-related legislation introduced, and agricultural dependence of each U.S. state. State-level characteristics predominantly did not predict the sentiment of the discourse. Instead, the topics of tweets predicted the majority of variance in tweet sentiment at the state level. The topics that tweets within a state focused on were related to state-level characteristics in some cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
43. Digital Media and Democracy: Tactics in Hard Times.
- Author
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Xenos, Michael A.
- Subjects
- *
DIGITAL media , *NONFICTION - Abstract
The article reviews the book "Digital Media & Democracy: Tactics in Hard Times," edited by Megan Boler.
- Published
- 2009
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
44. Trends—Americans' Trust in Science and Scientists.
- Author
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Krause, Nicole M, Brossard, Dominique, Scheufele, Dietram A, Xenos, Michael A, and Franke, Keith
- Subjects
- *
AMERICAN attitudes , *SCIENTISTS , *TRUST , *ATTITUDE (Psychology) , *SCIENCE & society , *PUBLIC opinion , *POLARIZATION (Social sciences) - Abstract
Events such as the 2017 "March for Science" have brought greater attention to public attitudes toward science and scientists. Our analyses of recent poll data show that Americans' confidence in scientists has been high for roughly 40 years (relative to other institutions), and that it is high even for controversial topics such as global warming and nuclear energy. International comparisons show broad similarities with individuals in Germany and the UK, including that trust in scientists can fluctuate depending on who employs them and what topic is under discussion. Finally, more granular analyses in the United States reveal large divides in trust based on geographic location and religious identification (i.e., rural residents exhibit comparatively low trust and the nonreligious comparatively high trust), while the gap between political partisans has been relatively small but has spiked in recent years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
45. Ukrainian nationalist parties and connective action: an analysis of electoral campaigning and social media sentiments.
- Author
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Doroshenko, Larisa, Schneider, Tetyana, Kofanov, Dmitrii, Xenos, Michael A., Scheufele, Dietram A., and Brossard, Dominique
- Subjects
- *
POLITICAL campaigns , *CONTENT analysis , *SOCIAL media , *SOCIAL media in business , *POLITICAL parties - Abstract
This paper combines human- and computer-mediated content analysis to advance the understanding of how far-right parties are using new media to mobilize their supporters in the transitioning Ukrainian democracy. This study's theoretical approach employs the framework of connective action logic; results suggest that young and challenger parties are more adoptive of this logic, and provide opportunities for personalized engagement to their supporters. Moreover, use of interactive technologies by the studied parties also goes hand in hand with a smaller proportion of opinionated messages in their Twitter network, in spite of the inherent polarizing nature of these parties. Implications of these findings for research on future political campaigns conclude this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
46. In AI We Trust: The Interplay of Media Use, Political Ideology, and Trust in Shaping Emerging AI Attitudes.
- Author
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Yang, Shiyu, Krause, Nicole M., Bao, Luye, Calice, Mikhaila N., Newman, Todd P., Scheufele, Dietram A., Xenos, Michael A., and Brossard, Dominique
- Abstract
Using data from a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults, this study explores how trust in key actors to responsibly manage artificial intelligence (AI) develops among members of the U.S. population and how trust, along with other key factors, shapes public attitudes toward AI. Greater trust is linked to stronger support for AI, both directly and indirectly (through risk and benefit perceptions). Furthermore, the strength or direction of the link between trust and support—as well as media diets and trust—differs significantly for liberals and conservatives, suggesting that Americans are indeed beginning to process AI-related information through a political lens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
47. Engagement present and future: Graduate student and faculty perceptions of social media and the role of the public in science engagement.
- Author
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Howell, Emily L., Nepper, Julia, Brossard, Dominique, Xenos, Michael A., and Scheufele, Dietram A.
- Subjects
- *
SOCIAL perception , *GRADUATE students , *GRADUATE education , *PUBLIC interest , *SOCIAL media - Abstract
Interest in public engagement with science activities has grown in recent decades, especially engagement through social media and among graduate students. Research on scientists’ views of engagement, particularly two-way engagement and engagement through social media, is sparse, particularly research examining graduate students’ views. We compare graduate students and faculty in biological and physical sciences at a land-grant, research-intensive university in their views on engagement. We find that both groups overwhelmingly believe that public input in decision-making around science issues is important, and hold largely pro-engagement attitudes. Graduate students, however, have somewhat more optimistic views of engagement through social media and on the appropriateness of discussing science controversy on social media. We discuss implications for graduate education and future engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
48. The effect of comment moderation on perceived bias in science news.
- Author
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Yeo, Sara K., Su, Leona Yi-Fan, Scheufele, Dietram A., Brossard, Dominique, Xenos, Michael A., and Corley, Elizabeth A.
- Subjects
- *
ONLINE comments , *NEWS websites , *PREJUDICES , *PROFIT margins , *RESPONDENTS - Abstract
Uncivil comments following online news articles about issues of science and technology have been shown to lead to biased interpretations of the news content itself. Using an experiment embedded in a nationally representative survey, we provide evidence that cues about comment moderation ‒ even without any change in the comments themselves ‒ have the potential to alleviate this so-called nasty effect. Participants exposed to uncivil comments that appear in a moderated environment were less likely to perceive bias in the news article itself. Importantly, perceptions of bias among respondents exposed to the uncivil, moderated stimulus were comparable to those of respondents who viewed both moderated and unmoderated civil comments. Our results suggest that visible cues about comment moderation are a potentially valuable endeavor for news organizations, especially in an age of declining profit margins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
49. The Values of Synthetic Biology: Researcher Views of Their Field and Participation in Public Engagement.
- Author
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Rose, Kathleen M, Howell, Emily L, Scheufele, Dietram A, Brossard, Dominique, and Xenos, Michael A
- Subjects
- *
SYNTHETIC biology , *BIOLOGISTS , *BIODIVERSITY , *LIFE sciences , *BIOLOGICAL research - Abstract
The synthetic biology research community will influence the future development of synthetic biology and its emergence into the sociopolitical and regulatory arenas. Because of this influence, we provide a first look at those involved in the research field—their views regarding the field and interactions with the public—using a unique sample of United States–based researchers who have published in the broad field of synthetic biology. Our data indicate a range of views of the moral and regulatory aspects of the science, based in part on various values and professional judgments, with differences emerging across synthetic biologists (e.g. bench scientists and computer scientists) and researchers focusing on ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI). Importantly, the researchers are engaged in public outreach activities, which could provide opportunities for public discourse on the sociopolitical aspects of synthetic biology. The implications of these findings for the future of the technology and upstream engagement emerge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
50. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report on genetically engineered crops influences public discourse.
- Author
-
Howell, Emily L., Wirz, Christopher D., Brossard, Dominique, Jamieson, Kathleen Hall, Scheufele, Dietram A., Winneg, Kenneth M., and Xenos, Michael A.
- Subjects
- *
TRANSGENIC plants , *CULTIVATED plants , *SURVEYS , *SENSORY perception , *TRANSGENIC organisms - Abstract
In May 2016, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) released the report "Genetically Engineered Crops: Experiences and Prospects," summarizing scientific consensus on genetically engineered crops and their implications. NASEM reports aim to give the public and policymakers information on socially relevant science issues. Their impact, however, is not well understood. This analysis combines national pre- and post-report survey data with a large-scale content analysis of Twitter discussion to examine the report's effect on public perceptions of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). We find that the report's release corresponded with reduced negativity in Twitter discourse and increased ambivalence in public risk and benefit perceptions of GMOs, mirroring the NASEM report's conclusions. Surprisingly, this change was most likely for individuals least trusting of scientific studies or university scientists. Our findings indicate that NASEM consensus reports can help shape public discourse, even in, or perhaps because of, the complex information landscape of traditional and social media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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