Asymmetry of Partisan Media Effects?: Examining the Reinforcing Process of Conservative and Liberal Media with Political Beliefs

Abstract

There is growing evidence that partisan media could be contributing to the increasing polarization among the public in the United States. Scholars have recently debated whether both liberal and conservative media are contributing to polarization symmetrically or if conservative media is the primary source of polarization. We offer tests of reinforcing spiral models from a national sample of US citizens’ use of liberal and conservative media sources and political beliefs about three issues (immigration, law enforcement, and gun control) during the 2016 Presidential Election. Our results find evidence of similar effects for use of liberal and conservative media on political beliefs. By contrast, holding conservative political beliefs does more to contribute to a conservative media echo chamber compared to liberal beliefs contributing to a liberal media echo chamber.