Creating engaged citizens. Communicative habits contribution to the development of political sophistication among young

Abstract

One of the main trends of media effects research has focused on the analysis of the media contribution to the development of political attitudes, including political sophistication. In fact, media consumption, and also interpersonal communication, can have an important contribution to democratic development of countries, through the education of citizens in the political arena, especially among those younger. A survey was conducted among students from high school last semester of the Monterrey metropolitan area to determine their level of political sophistication, to know the communicative variables influence to its development and whether it impacts or not in political participation. Findings show that about 30% of them had an acceptable political sophistication, which had been explained by the search of political information in media, the consumption of print media and maintenance of political conversation. In addition, those politically sophisticated also trend to develop greater political participation, but not citizen participation.