Developing A Model of News Literacy in Early Adolescents: A Survey Study

Abstract

Early adolescents’ insufficient critical engagement with (online) news demands increased application of news literacy, but it remains unclear which factors increase news literacy application. To provide more insights, this survey study develops and tests a model of news literacy application in early adolescents (12‒15 y/o, N = 492). The more comprehensive model looks at the relationship between the application of news literacy and news consumption, knowledge of news media production, news literacy skills, value for (news) media literacy, news literacy and news consumption motivation, social norms, and demographics. Most importantly, the model shows the interconnectedness of news literacy application and news consumption. Furthermore, it shows the importance of early adolescents’ value for (news) media literacy, skills, and motivation to increase their news literacy application, and the lesser importance of news production knowledge. To stimulate the application of news literacy in early adolescents, researchers and practitioners could take a stepwise approach: (1) stimulate intrinsic news consumption motivation and, with that, news consumption, and then (2) build value for (news) media literacy, skills, and peer social norms to stimulate the application of news literacy. In precisely targeting these factors of news literacy application, interventions can empower early adolescents to become more critical news consumers.