Journal of Electoral Studies

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Home Issues Backissues Volume 31, No.1 Partisan Orientation and Selective Exposure during Taiwan's 2008 Presidential Election Campaign

Partisan Orientation and Selective Exposure during Taiwan's 2008 Presidential Election Campaign

Frank C. S. Liu
2009 / 11
Volume 16, No.2

pp.51-70
10.6612/tjes.2009.16.02.51-70
Paper

Abstract

Political scientists and communication scholars agree that news media play an important role in influencing and shaping one's political preferences. However, it is also known that individuals are not waiting for being changed by the news media; instead, some are active in choosing news sources. This selective process has been discussed and confirmed since the 1960s in American studies but has not been empirically examined in Taiwan's context. The theory of selective exposure suggests that voters, particularly those politically knowledgeable, are more likely to process information selectively, including selective exposure, selective perception, and selective retention. This study employs data collected between January and March, 2008, the campaign season of the presidential election, and analyzes the relationship between partisanship and selective exposure. The analysis also includes a regression of selective exposure on both partisanship and partisan strength. The results confirm the theoretical expectations, and an agenda of research on this media use behavior is proposed.

Keywords

selective exposure

media use

political talk shows

political communication