Facilitating Social Media and Offline Political Engagement During Electoral Cycles: Using Social Cognitive Theory to Explain Political Action Among Hispanics and Latinos

Abstract

Two interacting forces are subtly shifting the nature of American democracy—the public’s increased use of social media for political information and meaningful changes in the demographic characteristics of the country. This study specifically examined ways in which social media use for political purposes could leverage greater offline political participation among Hispanics and Latinos—a rapidly growing segment of the population. Using social cognitive theory, this study evaluated features of users’ social media network and social media behaviors that can facilitate greater political participation both online and offline. Results indicate that individuals’ social media network expression and social media political expression experiences influence users’ social media political efficacy, social media political expression, and eventually their offline political engagement. Special attention is given to the role of social media political efficacy in promoting broad forms of social media political expression and offline engagement for Hispanics and Latinos.