Selective Exposure in Theory and in Practice

Abstract

Abstract The fundamental question of research on selective exposure is: Do people crave likeminded information and eschew information that conflicts with their beliefs? This chapter reviews what we know about selective exposure and makes a case for focusing on partisan selective exposure. It has four main objectives. First, it reviews theoretical reasons for anticipating that people will seek out likeminded media. Second, it investigates the diverse research findings on selective exposure. Third, it presents a rationale for focusing on partisan selective exposure. Finally, it describes how this research contributes to what we already know and briefly describes how to explore the existence, causes, and consequences of partisan selective exposure.