THE IMPACT OF THE INTERNET ON YOUTH CIVIC ENGAGEMENT Cover Image

THE IMPACT OF THE INTERNET ON YOUTH CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
THE IMPACT OF THE INTERNET ON YOUTH CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

Author(s): Diana Munteanu
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences
Published by: Studia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai
Keywords: civic participation; Internet use; online civic engagement; technologic determinism; resource theory.

Summary/Abstract: The wide diffusion of the Internet has brought significant changes into most aspects of people’s daily life. As Internet use grows, especially among youth, people become very concerned about the way virtual channels of communication could shape their social behavior. Relying on Resource Model developed by Sidney Verba, H. Brady and Lehman Schlozman (1995), this paper tackles civic engagement in terms of motivational resources. In order to examine the civic potential of Internet among Romanian youth, I test, using correlations and bivariate regressions, whether determinants of offline civic participation are positively related to the level of Internet use. The findings of the present study indicate that Internet use is neutral. It does neither increase, nor reduce teenagers’ motivation to get actively involved in the social communities they belong to. Motivational resources for civic participation seem to be independently achieved from the time spent online. In contrast to mobilization theory, time saving services offered by Internet tend more to reinforce those forms of offline civic engagement that are already established. This paper’s results can contribute to a deeper understanding of this phenomenon and to test certain theories of participation in the Romanian area. As many youth development programs promote civic involvement, this research could provide useful information in developing strategies to improve it.

  • Issue Year: 2011
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 119-141
  • Page Count: 23
  • Language: English