Cross-Cutting Exposure on Facebook and Political Participation

Abstract. This experiment (N = 193) explores the effects of cross-cutting exposure via social media on two types of political participation. The results reveal that exposure to cross-cutting social media news can motivate cheap participation better than costly participation. Moreover, the mobilizing effects of cross-cutting exposure are mediated by anger and anxiety, as suggested by affective intelligence theory and appraisal theories of emotion. The mediating effects of anxiety are also moderated by online incivility. Implications are discussed in terms of the role of social media use and cross-cutting exposure in participatory democracies.

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