Political behavior in virtual environment: Role of social media intensity, internet connectivity, and political affiliation in online political persuasion among university students

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe current study underscores different practices of political behavior and communication in virtual environments among youth. The primary objectives of this exploratory study were to find out: (i) the association of political affiliation, internet connectivity, and social media usage with online political persuasion, and (ii) the effects of social media base and duration time spent on online political persuasion among university students. A total of 2403 students participated through an online questionnaire, from different universities of Pakistan. Respondent-Driven Sampling was mainly used to collect data from university students. The reliability, validity, and robustness of scale of online political persuasion were tested through factor and reliability analysis. Hypothesis testing and model fitness were scrutinized through simple linear regression analysis and multiple linear regression, respectively. Communicative Action Theory by Jürgen Habermas was used as a theoretical framework. The findings revealed that WhatsApp (58%), Facebook (21%), and YouTube (10%) were leading social media sites among university students. Online political persuasion was higher among students with political affiliation. Similarly, internet connectivity, social media usage, social media base and time spent on social media were positively associated with online political persuasion. In addition, the current study depicted that social media is being used as a platform for political communication that ultimately renders political change. The current research supported the connotation of how the use of inter-subjectivity of social media provides an opportunity to promote communicative political autonomy among users instead of following a coercive political ideology.