Home We’re a good match: Selective political friending on social networking sites
Article
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

We’re a good match: Selective political friending on social networking sites

  • Manuel Cargnino ORCID logo EMAIL logo , German Neubaum and Stephan Winter
Published/Copyright: May 26, 2023

Abstract

To date, the role of user behavior in the formation of politically homogeneous online environments (oftentimes called echo chambers) is not fully understood. Building on selective exposure research, we introduce the notion of selective political friending, that is, the preference for political like-mindedness in social affiliations on social networking sites. In a pre-registered laboratory experiment with users of social networking sites in Germany (N = 199), we find that users preferably build connections with those who share their opinions toward controversial political issues. Political like-mindedness outperforms other friending criteria such as popularity or career-related fit with another user. Political friending is pronounced when individuals’ pre-existing opinions are strong. The present study points to the necessity to take the motivational complexity into account when studying phenomena linked to political homogeneity on SNS.


Funder Name

Ministerium für Kultur und Wissenschaft des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen, Funder Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100014690, Grant Number: 005-1709-0004


References

ARD & Infratest dimap (2018, February 2). Geht die Einigung von Union und SPD zum Familiennachzug von Bürgerkriegsflüchtlingen* Ihrer Meinung nach in die richtige oder in die falsche Richtung? [In your opinion, is the agreement reached by the CDU and SPD on family reunification for civil war refugees going in the right or wrong direction?] In Statista. Retrieved August 11, 2019 from https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/790889/umfrage/umfrage-zum-recht-auf-familiennachzug-von-buergerkriegsfluechtlingen/Search in Google Scholar

Bakshy, E., Messing, S., & Adamic, L. A. (2015). Exposure to ideologically diverse news and opinion on Facebook. Science, 348(6239), 1130–1132. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa116010.1126/science.aaa1160Search in Google Scholar

Bode, L. (2016). Pruning the news feed: Unfriending and unfollowing political content on social media. Research & Politics, 3(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/205316801666187310.1177/2053168016661873Search in Google Scholar

Byrne, D. (1961). Interpersonal attraction and attitude similarity. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 62(3), 713–715. https://doi.org/10.1037/h004472110.1037/h0044721Search in Google Scholar

Chan, C., Zhu, J. Y., Chow, C. S., & Fu, K. (2019). The intertwined cyberbalkanizations of Facebook pages and their audience: An analysis of Facebook pages and their audience during the 2014 Hong Kong Occupy Movement. Journal of Computational Social Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42001-019-00043-x10.1007/s42001-019-00043-xSearch in Google Scholar

Crano, W. D., & Prislin, R. (Eds.) (2008). Frontiers of social psychology. Attitudes and attitude change. New York: Psychology Press.Search in Google Scholar

Dubois, E., & Blank, G. (2018). The echo chamber is overstated: The moderating effect of political interest and diverse media. Information, Communication & Society, 21(5), 729–745. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2018.142865610.1080/1369118X.2018.1428656Search in Google Scholar

Dvir-Gvirsman, S. (2017). Media audience homophily: Partisan websites, audience identity and polarization processes. New Media & Society, 19(7), 1072–1091. https://doi.org/10.1177/146144481562594510.1177/1461444815625945Search in Google Scholar

Echterhoff, G., Higgins, E. T., & Levine, J. M. (2009). Shared reality: Experiencing commonality with others’ inner states about the world. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 4(5), 496–521. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6924.2009.01161.x10.1111/j.1745-6924.2009.01161.xSearch in Google Scholar

Ellison, N. B., Steinfield, C., & Lampe, C. (2007). The benefits of Facebook “Friends”: Social capital and college students’ use of online social network sites. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 12(4), 1143–1168. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00367.x10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00367.xSearch in Google Scholar

Festinger, L. (1957). A theory of cognitive dissonance. Stanford University Press.10.1515/9781503620766Search in Google Scholar

Garrett, R. K., & Stroud, N. J. (2014). Partisan paths to exposure diversity: Differences in pro- and counterattitudinal news consumption. Journal of Communication, 64(4), 680–701. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcom.1210510.1111/jcom.12105Search in Google Scholar

Graham, J., Nosek, B. A., Haidt, J., Iyer, R., Koleva, S., & Ditto, P. H. (2011). Mapping the moral domain. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101(2), 366–385. https://doi.org/10.1037/a002184710.1037/a0021847Search in Google Scholar

Hall, J. A., Pennington, N., & Lueders, A. (2014). Impression management and formation on Facebook: A lens model approach. New Media & Society, 16(6), 958–982. https://doi.org/10.1177/146144481349516610.1177/1461444813495166Search in Google Scholar

Hart, W., Albarracín, D., Eagly, A. H., Brechan, I., Lindberg, M. J., & Merrill, L. (2009). Feeling validated versus being correct: A meta-analysis of selective exposure to information. Psychological Bulletin, 135(4), 555–588. https://doi.org/10.1037/a001570110.1037/a0015701Search in Google Scholar

Himelboim, I., Sweetser, K. D., Tinkham, S. F., Cameron, K., Danelo, M., & West, K. (2016). Valence-based homophily on Twitter: Network analysis of emotions and political talk in the 2012 presidential election. New Media & Society, 18(7), 1382–1400. https://doi.org/10.1177/146144481455509610.1177/1461444814555096Search in Google Scholar

Hong, S., & Kim, S. H. (2016). Political polarization on Twitter: Implications for the use of social media in digital governments. Government Information Quarterly, 33(4), 777–782. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2016.04.00710.1016/j.giq.2016.04.007Search in Google Scholar

Huber, G. A., & Malhotra, N. (2017). Political homophily in social relationships: Evidence from online dating behavior. The Journal of Politics, 79(1), 269–283. https://doi.org/10.1086/68753310.1086/687533Search in Google Scholar

John, N. A., & Dvir-Gvirsman, S. (2015). “I don’t like you any more”: Facebook unfriending by Israelis during the Israel-Gaza conflict of 2014. Journal of Communication, 65(6), 953–974. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcom.1218810.1111/jcom.12188Search in Google Scholar

Jost, J. T., van der Linden, S., Panagopoulos, C., & Hardin, C. D. (2018). Ideological asymmetries in conformity, desire for shared reality, and the spread of misinformation. Current Opinion in Psychology, 23, 77–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.01.00310.1016/j.copsyc.2018.01.003Search in Google Scholar

Klofstad, C. A., McDermott, R., & Hatemi, P. K. (2013). The dating preferences of liberals and conservatives. Political Behavior, 35(3), 519–538. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11109-012-9207-z10.1007/s11109-012-9207-zSearch in Google Scholar

Knobloch-Westerwick, S. (2015). Choice and preference in media use: Advances in selective exposure theory and research. New York, London: Routledge.10.4324/9781315771359Search in Google Scholar

Krämer, N., Rösner, L., Eimler, S., Winter, S., & Neubaum, G. (2014). Let the weakest link go! Empirical explorations on the relative importance of weak and strong ties on social networking sites. Societies, 4(4), 785–809. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc404078510.3390/soc4040785Search in Google Scholar

Krosnick, J. A., & Petty, R. E. (1995). Attitude strength: An overview. In R. E. Petty & J. A. Krosnick (Eds.), Ohio State University series on attitudes and persuasion, vol. 4. Attitude strength: Antecedents and consequences (pp. 1–24). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.Search in Google Scholar

Lu, Y., & Lee, J. K. (2018). Stumbling upon the other side: Incidental learning of counter-attitudinal political information on Facebook. New Media & Society, 21(1), 248–265. https://doi.org/10.1177/146144481879342110.1177/1461444818793421Search in Google Scholar

McPherson, M., Smith-Lovin, L., & Cook, J. M. (2001). Birds of a feather: Homophily in social networks. Annual Review of Sociology, 27(1), 415–444. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.27.1.41510.1146/annurev.soc.27.1.415Search in Google Scholar

Mutz, D. C. (2002). The consequences of cross-cutting networks for political participation. American Journal of Political Science, 46(4), 838. https://doi.org/10.2307/308843710.2307/3088437Search in Google Scholar

Neubaum, G., Cargnino, M., & Maleszka, J. (2021). How Facebook users experience political disagreements and make decisions about the political homogenization of their online network. International Journal of Communication, 15, 187–206.Search in Google Scholar

Ouwerkerk, J. W., & Johnson, B. K. (2016). Motives for online friending and following: The dark side of social network site connections. Social Media + Society, 2(3), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/205630511666421910.1177/2056305116664219Search in Google Scholar

Penney, J. (2015). Social media and symbolic action: Exploring participation in the Facebook red equal sign profile picture campaign. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 20(1), 52–66. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcc4.1209210.1111/jcc4.12092Search in Google Scholar

Prantl, H. (2019, June 6). Staatliche Schnüffelei mit Alexa als Spionin [State snooping with Alexa as a spy]. In deutschlandfunk.de. Retrieved August 11, 2019 from https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/neuer-lauschangriff-staatliche-schnueffelei-mit-alexa-als.720.de.html?dram:article_id=450925Search in Google Scholar

Rainie, L., & Smith, A. (2012). Politics on social networking sites. Washington, DC: Pew Research Center.Search in Google Scholar

Schmitt, J. B., Ernst, J., Frischlich, L., & Rieger, D. (2017). Rechtsextreme und islamistische Propaganda im Internet: Methoden, Auswirkungen und Präventionsmöglichkeiten [Right-wing extremist and Islamic propaganda on the internet: Methods, implications, and opportunities for prevention]. In R. Altenhof, S. Bunk & M. Piepenschneider (Eds.), Politischer Extremismus im Vergleich. Schriftenreihe Politische Bildung der Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (vol. 3, pp. 171–208). Berlin: LIT Verlag.Search in Google Scholar

Stern, C., West, T. V., Jost, J. T., & Rule, N. O. (2014). “Ditto heads”: Do conservatives perceive greater consensus within their ranks than liberals? Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 40(9), 1162–1177. https://doi.org/10.1177/014616721453783410.1177/0146167214537834Search in Google Scholar

Stroud, N. J. (2010). Polarization and partisan selective exposure. Journal of Communication, 60(3), 556–576. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2010.01497.x10.1111/j.1460-2466.2010.01497.xSearch in Google Scholar

Sunstein, C. R. (2017). #Republic divided democracy in the age of social media. Princeton, Oxford: Princeton University Press.10.1515/9781400884711Search in Google Scholar

Taber, C. S., & Lodge, M. (2006). Motivated skepticism in the evaluation of political beliefs. American Journal of Political Science, 50(3), 755–769. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5907.2006.00214.x10.1111/j.1540-5907.2006.00214.xSearch in Google Scholar

Tong, S. T., Van Der Heide, B., Langwell, L., & Walther, J. B. (2008). Too much of a good thing? The relationship between number of friends and interpersonal impressions on Facebook. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(3), 531–549. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2008.00409.x10.1111/j.1083-6101.2008.00409.xSearch in Google Scholar

Utz, S. (2016). Is LinkedIn making you more successful? The informational benefits derived from public social media. New Media & Society, 18(11), 2685–2702. https://doi.org/10.1177/146144481560414310.1177/1461444815604143Search in Google Scholar

Utz, S., & Breuer, J. (2016). Informational benefits from social media use for professional purposes: Results from a longitudinal study. Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 10(4). https://doi.org/10.5817/CP2016-4-310.5817/CP2016-4-3Search in Google Scholar

Vitak, J., Lampe, C., Gray, R., & Ellison, N. B. (2012). “Why won’t you be my Facebook friend?”: Strategies for managing context collapse in the workplace. Proceedings of the 2012 IConference, 555–557. https://doi.org/10.1145/2132176.213228610.1145/2132176.2132286Search in Google Scholar

Von Collani, G. (2003). Kognitive Geschlossenheit und persönliches Strukturbedürfnis [Cognitive unity and personal need for structure]. Zusammenstellung sozialwissenschaftlicher Items und Skalen (ZIS). https://doi.org/10.6102/zis49Search in Google Scholar

Wang, S. S., Moon, S.-I., Kwon, K. H., Evans, C. A., & Stefanone, M. A. (2010). Face off: Implications of visual cues on initiating friendship on Facebook. Computers in Human Behavior, 26(2), 226–234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2009.10.00110.1016/j.chb.2009.10.001Search in Google Scholar

Webster, D. M., & Kruglanski, A. W. (1994). Individual differences in need for cognitive closure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67(6), 1049–1062. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.67.6.104910.1037/0022-3514.67.6.1049Search in Google Scholar

Weeks, B. E., Lane, D. S., Kim, D. H., Lee, S. S., & Kwak, N. (2017). Incidental exposure, selective exposure, and political information sharing: Integrating online exposure patterns and expression on social media: Political information exposure and sharing. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 22(6), 363–379. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcc4.1219910.1111/jcc4.12199Search in Google Scholar

Winter, S., Metzger, M. J., & Flanagin, A. J. (2016). Selective use of news cues: A multiple-motive perspective on information selection in social media environments: Selective use of news cues. Journal of Communication, 66(4), 669–693. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcom.1224110.1111/jcom.12241Search in Google Scholar

Yang, J., Barnidge, M., & Rojas, H. (2017). The politics of “unfriending”: User filtration in response to political disagreement on social media. Computers in Human Behavior, 70, 22–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.12.07910.1016/j.chb.2016.12.079Search in Google Scholar

Zaller, J. R. (1992). The nature and origins of mass opinion. New York: Cambridge University Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO978051181869110.1017/CBO9780511818691Search in Google Scholar

Zillmann, D., & Bryant, J. (Eds.) (1985). Selective exposure to communication. Hillsdale, NJ: L. Erlbaum Associates.Search in Google Scholar

Zywica, J., & Danowski, J. (2008). The faces of Facebookers: Investigating social enhancement and social compensation hypotheses; predicting FacebookTM and offline popularity from sociability and self-esteem, and mapping the meanings of popularity with semantic networks. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 14(1), 1–34. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2008.01429.x10.1111/j.1083-6101.2008.01429.xSearch in Google Scholar

Published Online: 2023-05-26
Published in Print: 2023-05-26

© 2022 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Downloaded on 10.9.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/commun-2021-0028/html
Scroll to top button