Leslie A. Rill

Investigating Relations Between Facebook Use and Social Capital Among College Undergraduates

This article examines relations between Facebook® (FB) use and social capital among 530 undergraduate students. The results demonstrated that using FB habitually was associated with gains in online bridging and offline network capital. This study also examined 2 motivations for using FB: the motivation to socialize with others and the motivation to improve ones status. Results showed that using FB for sociability reasons was associated with increased online bridging and bonding. Using FB more for status than for sociability was not associated with decreased online bridging and bonding. Finally, the results provided evidence of the sociability motivation mediating the relationship between FB habit and online bridging and bonding. Theoretical implications are discussed.

Staying “On Message”: Consistency in Content of Presidential Primary Campaign Messages Across Media

This study investigates the extent to which candidates in the 2008 presidential primary campaign adhered to the convention wisdom that candidates should stay “on message.” Content analysis investigated multiple media (announcement speeches, TV spots, radio spots, debates, candidate webpages, and candidate MySpace/Facebook pages) from 9 Democratic and 12 Republican candidates. Four variables were investigated: functions, topics, party issue emphasis, and own party issue ownership. Although there was considerable consistency across message form, results revealed that 63 of 76 comparisons candidates were not consistent in tone, topic, party issue emphasis, or own party issue emphasis across messages. Post hoc analyses excluding debates (where the candidates have less control over the content of their messages, given the expectation that they will respond to the questions asked) revealed differences even among the message forms over which candidates have complete control over content.

Funny, Ha-Ha: The Impact of User-Generated Political Satire on Political Attitudes

The 2012 election season provided increased opportunities for the collaboration among citizens, new media, and democracy. The “social media election” saw a rise in online user-generated political content posted to YouTube. These videos, often satirical in nature, were viewed by millions, making the potential impacts from this new form of political communication deserving of inquiry. Using experimental design, this study explored the relationship between user-generated political satire and “normative” political attitudes. The results revealed that viewing satirical representations of political candidates did not affect individuals’ level of political cynicism or political information efficacy; however, perceptions of candidate credibility and favorability were altered.

Who Framed Sarah Palin? Viewer Reactions to the 2008 Vice Presidential Debate

This study analyzes viewer assessments of Sara Palin’s vice presidential debate performance. Specifically, a national sample of debate viewers evaluated Palin and her vice presidential opponent Joe Biden on both image and issue measures before and after viewing their debate performance. We argue that the attendant media attention surrounding Palin before her debate performance—mostly negative in tone—framed Palin as unfit for office and created expectations that she would fail in her debate with Joe Biden. On several measures, however, Palin’s debate performance actually exceeded the low-bar of expectations that had been set, thus benefiting her in terms of viewers’ assessments of her debate performance.

Exploration of the Relationship between Self-Esteem, Commitment, and Verbal Aggressiveness in Romantic Dating Relationships

Using sociometer theory (Leary, 1999), this study investigated the relationships between argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness, self and partners perceived commitment levels, and self-esteem within romantic dating relationships. Survey results (n = 152) indicated that 1) a moderate relationship between ones self-esteem and ones perceived partners commitment level existed, 2) a positive correlation between ones self-esteem and level of self-commitment existed, 3) self-esteem was negatively correlated with verbal aggressiveness, and 4) self-commitment did not mediate the relationship between self-esteem and verbal aggressiveness. Discussion of these findings and their significance are reviewed.

Civic Engagement Through Presidential Debates: Young Citizens' Political Attitudes in the 2012 Election

This study explores the effects of televised presidential debate viewing on young citizens’ candidate evaluations and normative democratic attitudes, including political cynicism and political information efficacy. Findings revealed that debate viewing decreases young citizens’ political cynicism and strengthens political information efficacy. Longitudinal analysis tracked young citizens’ democratic attitudes from pre-debate to post-election, finding that one’s political information efficacy intensifies throughout the course of the ongoing campaign, but debates’ immediate effect of reducing political cynicism is not sustained as the campaign progresses.

Campaigning on the Internet: 2008 Presidential General Election Candidate Webpages

The Internet is becoming an increasingly important component of political campaigns. This study employed content analysis to apply Functional Theory and Issue Ownership Theory to Obama’s and McCain’s presidential candidate webpages in the 2008 campaign. Acclaims (92%) were more common than attacks (98%); defenses did not occur in this sample. Policy (82%) was addressed more than character (18%). When discussing policy, these candidates addressed future plans most frequently, followed by general goals and then past deeds; on character, candidates discussed ideals, then personal qualities, and then leadership ability. This study shows that as candidates use the Internet to reach voters, their webpages conform to theoretical expectations.