How social network sites influences online political participation

The increasing popularity of social network sites (SNSs) has raised question about the role of SNSs in the democratic process. Using survey data, this study provides insight into the relationship between SNSs, online political participation, offline political participation, cognitive needs, social integrative needs and political efficacy. The findings show a positive and significant relationship between SNSs intensity and online political participation, supporting the optimistic idea that SNSs contributes to online political participation. Moreover, SNSs intensity mediates also the relation between cognitive needs, social integrative needs and political efficacy on online political participation, even after controlling for age, gender and education level. Offline political participation was not found to interact with SNSs intensity, suggesting that SNSs intensity contributes to one's online political participation regardless of one's offline political participation. Although statistically significant, these effects are quite small. Therefore, it is plausible to suggest that the field of SNSs usage and political participation is still open for new exploration.