Literacy proficiency and political information seeking in the U.S.

Leah Katherine Saal, Kristen H. Perry, Takashi Yamashita, Wonmai Punksungka, Donita Shaw

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This quantitative exploratory study is the first to investigate the literacy skills and political efficacy-related information seeking behavior with a secondary analysis of a nationally representative sample of older youth and adults in the United States (U.S), ages 16–74 across two PIAAC data collection cycles (2012/2014 and 2017). Over time, newspapers, magazines, TV, and books use declined, while internet use as a source for political efficacy-related information increased. Associations of literacy skill proficiency with the internet and TV were reliable between two time-points and cycles of data; however, the direction of these associations varied. Older youth and adults with greater literacy skills were more likely to seek political efficacy-related information from the internet, while those with less literacy proficiency preferred T.V.

Original languageEnglish
Article number102071
JournalInternational Journal of Educational Research
Volume116
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022

Keywords

  • Civic engagement
  • Democratic education
  • Information processing
  • Literacy
  • Mass media
  • Political influences

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Education

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