Family talk, peer talk and young people’s civic orientation

Abstract

This study focuses on interpersonal communication in the family and among peers in order to empirically examine the general idea that everyday civic talk might develop young people’s civic orientation. Two questions are addressed: (1) What is the significance of civic talk in relation to key dimensions of young people’s civic orientation? (2) What does civic talk in peer settings specifically contribute to young people’s civic orientation? The study is based on survey data from high school students and their parents ( N = 1148). The findings offer clear support to the idea that civic talk in everyday contexts matters for young people’s development of political knowledge, democratic values and different forms of civic practices. Civic talk in peer settings contributes uniquely to all dimensions of youths’ civic orientation. Implications of the findings for political socialization research and theories of the democratic mechanisms of civic talk are discussed.