Engaging in Political Talk on Facebook: Investigating the Role of Interpersonal Goals and Cognitive Engagement

Abstract

The decision to engage in informal political talk within one’s interpersonal network is not easily undertaken, particularly when that communication takes place through social networking sites (SNSs). This study explored motivations for engaging in informal political talk on the SNS, Facebook. Results suggest that those who are motivated by interpersonally focused goals online (i.e., relationship resource, affect management, and identity goals) are less likely to engage in political talk on Facebook, while those who are more politically motivated (i.e., cognitive engagement, influence, and personal resource goals) are more likely to engage in political talk on Facebook. Implications for encouraging informal political talk online are discussed.