Online only: Which Czech young adults prefer online civic participation?

Vol.8,No.3(2014)
Special issue: New Media and Democracy

Abstract
This study examined whether people who prefer online over offline civic participation differ from those who participate in both environments, who prefer offline participation, or do not participate. Using a cross-sectional sample of young adults (age 18-28) recruited in the Czech Republic (N = 720), we compared these four groups (defined by their types of civic participation) regarding their socio-demographic profiles, trust (social, individual, and in the media), relationship to politics (political interest, exposure to politics in the media, and internal political efficacy), and political ideology (left-right orientation, concern with environmental issues, and support for immigrants’ rights). Results showed that people who prefer online participation adhere to conservative political ideologies than people with other types of participation. Their relationship to politics is as positive as in the case of people active in both environments. No substantial differences in trust and socio-demographics were found.

Keywords:
civic participation; Internet; young adults; political ideology
Author biographies

Jan Šerek

Author photo Jan Šerek, Ph.D. is a postdoctoral researcher at the Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University. His research interest involves political/civic socialization in adolescence and young adulthood, the civic engagement of ethnic minority youth, and political cognition. Recently, he participated in an extensive longitudinal study of Czech adolescents, funded by the Ministry of Education Youth and Sports, and in the multi-national EU 7FP project “Processes Influencing Democratic Ownership and Participation.”

Hana Machackova

Author photo Hana Machackova, Ph.D. is a postdoctoral researcher at Masaryk University, where she works at the Institute for Research of Children, Youth, and Family. Her research interests include cyberbullying, online communities, and self-disclosure and privacy online.
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