The development of political knowledge in adolescence: The importance of information-rich socialization contexts

Abstract

Abstract

We investigate the relation between three socialization contexts (interaction with parents, interaction with peers and exposure to news in mass media) and political knowledge among adolescents. The aim is to put the role of these socialization contexts into a comparative perspective by studying whether the ‘information-rich’ character of a socialization context is essential for the development of political knowledge, or whether it is particularly important that the exposure to political information takes place in an interactive way. We investigate this among adolescents, as young citizens are in a phase in life in which knowledge on societal issues is fully being developed. Using a representative dataset of 3,426 adolescents in Belgium (Parent-Child Socialization Study 2012), we analyze the role of family, peers and mass media. The analyses point at the importance of an information-rich context. Interactive exposure to political information seems to be less important for the development of political knowledge.

Keywords: political knowledge, socialization, adolescents

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Bibliography: Verhaegen, Soetkin/Boonen, Joris: The development of political knowledge in adolescence: The importance of information-rich socialization contexts, PCS, 1-2-2016, pp. 7-27.
https://doi.org/10.3224/pcs.v7i1-2.01