Work

Winning on Social Media: Candidate Social-Mediated Communication and Voting During the 2016 US Presidential Election

Year: 2019

Type: article

Abstract: The 2016 US Presidential Election provided an opportunity to examine how political candidates’ use of social media can affect voting intentions. This study considers how political candidates can use social media to increase potential supporters’ perceptions that they will win the election, providing them extra motivation to go out and vote. Results from a two-wave survey provide evidence that following the in-group candidate (Trump or Clinton) relates to voting intentions through the increased belief that the candidate would win. However, this mediation effect occurs for only supporters of Trump or Clinton, but not for partisans of the opposing party.

Source: Social Media + Society

DOI: 10.1177/2056305119826130

Authors: Timothy Macafee, Bryan McLaughlin, Nathian Shae Rodriguez

Institutions: Concordia University Wisconsin, Texas Tech University, San Diego State University

Language: English

Topic: Social Media and Politics

Subfield: Communication

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $400

OpenAlex ID: W2921270047

FWCI: 4.769

Cites: 44

Cited by: 21

Related to: 10