Gender gap in children's political knowledge: Influence of social media and political socialization

Abstract

Political knowledge is an essential determining factor of citizen political participation. However, multiple studies have pointed to a gap in the political knowledge of men and women. This paper aims to extend research into the gender gap due to political socialization (school and family) to Mexican children, including social media consumption as a factor of interest. A survey (n = 1539) was conducted between April and May 2017 among fifth (10-11 years) and sixth (12-13 years) graders in Nuevo Leon (Mexico). The results suggested that the gender gap is not materially significant at this age, but there are already indications of what is observed in adulthood. Multivariate analyses indicated that political socialization and social media consumption contribute differently to both genders' political knowledge. A political conversation environment improves girls' political knowledge, while political information consumption via social media reduces it. School socialization does not affect either group. This study adds to the research on political knowledge in the Latin American context and recognizes the political repercussion in citizens' formative years. The practical implications of political and gender socialization and social media for boys' and girls' citizen development are discussed.