THE MEDIATING ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE IMPACT OF VOTER INVOLVEMENT ON VOTING INTENTION

Öz

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.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Voter Involvement
• Voter intention
• Social media

SEÇMEN İLGİLENİMİNİN OY VERME NİYETİNE ETKİSİNDE SOSYAL MEDYANIN ARACI ROLÜ

Öz

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.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Seçen ilgilenimi
• Oy verme niyeti
• Sosyal medya

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