pausbed Pamukkale Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi 1308-2922 2147-6985 Pamukkale University 10.30794/pausbed.1732882 Consumer Behaviour Tüketici Davranışı THE MEDIATING ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE IMPACT OF VOTER INVOLVEMENT ON VOTING INTENTION SEÇMEN İLGİLENİMİNİN OY VERME NİYETİNE ETKİSİNDE SOSYAL MEDYANIN ARACI ROLÜ https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5111-2940 Harmandaroğlu Seyda Fatih BİLECİK ŞEYH EDEBALİ ÜNİVERSİTESİ Advanced Online Publication 07 02 2025 11 13 2025 Copyright © 2008, Pamukkale University Journal of Social Sciences Institute 2008 Pamukkale University Journal of Social Sciences Institute

Voter interest and behavior are among the key determinants of democratic participation in political processes. The literature indicates that voter involvement is associated with various demographic, psychological, and communicative factors, while social media is recognized as an influential tool both in acquiring political knowledge and shaping voting behavior. This study examines the impact of voter involvement on voting intention and evaluates the mediating role of social media in this relationship. Data were collected from 405 participants who had voted in at least one election in Turkiye, using a convenience sampling method and a structured questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modeling via SPSS and AMOS software. The findings reveal that voter involvement does not have a significant direct effect on voting intention; however, it has an indirect effect through social media use. The results demonstrate that social media assumes a full mediating role between voter involvement and voting intention. The study highlights the critical role of digital platforms in political communication strategies and contributes to the literature on understanding voter behavior.

Siyasal süreçlerde seçmen ilgisi ve davranışları, demokratik katılımın temel belirleyicileri arasında yer almaktadır. Alan yazında seçmen ilgileniminin demografik, psikolojik ve iletişimsel birçok unsurla ilişkili olduğu belirtilmekte; sosyal medyanın ise hem siyasal bilginin edinilmesinde hem de oy verme davranışının şekillenmesinde etkili bir araç olduğu kabul edilmektedir. Araştırmada, seçmen ilgileniminin oy verme niyeti üzerindeki etkisi incelenmekte ve bu ilişkide sosyal medyanın aracı rolü değerlendirilmektedir. Türkiye’de en az bir seçimde oy kullanmış 405 katılımcıdan elde edilen veriler, kolayda örnekleme yöntemiyle belirlenmiş katılımcılardan anket yoluyla toplanmış ve SPSS ile AMOS programları kullanılarak kovaryans temelli yapısal eşitlik modellemesi ile analiz edilmiştir. Bulgular, seçmen ilgileniminin oy verme niyeti üzerinde doğrudan anlamlı bir etkisinin olmadığını, ancak sosyal medya kullanımı aracılığıyla dolaylı bir etki yarattığını ortaya koymaktadır. Elde edilen sonuçlar, sosyal medyanın seçmen ilgilenimi ile oy verme niyeti arasında tam aracılık rolü üstlendiğini göstermektedir. Araştırma, dijital platformların siyasi iletişim stratejilerindeki önemine vurgu yapmakta ve seçmen davranışını anlamaya yönelik literatüre katkı sunmaktadır.

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