2008 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
The empirical study of the impact of internet on civic engagement
| Project/Area Number |
18330135
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Social psychology
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| Research Institution | Meiji Gakuin University |
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Principal Investigator |
MIYATA Kakuko Meiji Gakuin University, 社会学部, 教授 (00184416)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2006 – 2008
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| Keywords | インターネット / 議論 / 社会参加 / 寛容性 |
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| Research Abstract |
Previous studies show that the internet has three possible roles on civic engagement ; a source of information, deliberation and citizen mobilization. This study focuses on the role of the internet as deliberation, and explores the factors which contribute to expression in online discussion and the effect of online discussion on civic engagement. In study 1, the experiment of online group discussion was conducted in 2007 to examine what types of online discussion produces deeper engagement with political issues and facilitate social tolerance. Sixty four groups engaged in a series of online discussions about issues facing Japanese education or the society with a large gap between rich and poor. Two surveys were conducted before and after online group discussions. Preliminary result shows that online discussion with people having different political attitudes improved tolerance, compared with a control group which completed only two surveys. It also suggests online discussion helped peo
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ple develop understanding of multiple points of view, therefore it fostered increased political tolerance. In study 2, the online survey was conducted in January 2010 (N=1000) to examine the role of internet as a source of political information and a sphere for public expression. Results reveal that online media complement traditional media to foster interpersonal political discussion and online political expression, and these two forms of political expression, in turn, influence civic engagement. It also shows that informational media use, whether online news which provided by traditional news sources or social online information, for example personal blogs and online communities about political affairs and social issues, fosters interpersonal political communication, although online political expression was encouraged only by consumption of personal online information. It means that factors that contribute to participation in online discussion may be themselves products of discussion as well. Less
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