สื่อสังคมออนไลน์เฟซบุ๊กและทวิตเตอร์กับความสนใจ ความผูกพัน และการมีส่วนร่วมทางการเมือง

Abstract

The present study entitled Selective Exposure to Political Messages, Political Interest, Affiliation, and Participation on Facebook and Twitter Social Network Media is a quantitative study using cross-sectional survey method. A total of 400 samples were drawn from           Facebook and Twitter users, with questionnaire as tool of data collection. Respondents were recruited through both online sources and face-to-face interviews in Bangkok, its parameters and in large urban areas in the provincial regions.

            Findings indicate that most Facebook and Twitter followers used these media to keep them informed of political movements. Facebook pages most visited were Voice TV and Nation TV 22,
while Twitter account of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) was followed most by respondents. Most respondents showed high level of interest in political issues. However, relatively low level of political affiliation was identified among respondents. Similarly, political participation was also found to be low in both online and offline activities.

            Data analysis also reveals statistically significant association between gender, education, and place of living, with selective exposure to political messages on online media. Selective exposure to political messages was found to be related to political interest as people following different Facebook pages and Twitter accounts tend to have different kinds of political interest as well. Political interest is positively correlated with political affiliation, which in turn, is positively correlated with political participation. Interestingly, political participation on online          media was found to have higher level of correlation with political affiliation than offline participation.

            The findings are also supportive of Theory of Cognitive Dissonance in that people tend to expose themselves to political messages that are consistent with their own political beliefs and opinion.