Third International Conference on Communication & Media Studies

Abstract

Based on the theoretical route of social gender theory, gender politics theory, cultivation theory and political socialization theory, the thesis takes “netizen social consciousness investigation” as the research sample to explore the discrepancy in the influences of political news use on the national identity between two genders. Basic research finding is that political news use could construct the discrepancy in national identity between two genders to some extent after controlling demographics variables. To be specific, males in China who get access to more political news via Weibo and network community have a weaker sense of national identity; but this is not the case for females in China. In addition to Weibo, the political news use of other media also produces similar influences on the national identity between two genders. However, the corresponding coefficient indicates that females in China obviously suffer from more influences from males. In addition, this thesis also investigates the regulatory effects of political trust between political news use and national identity. As proved by the research results, the interaction effect between political news use in Xinhua News Agency and people’s Daily and political trust leaves prominent negative influences on overall Chinese netizens’ national identity of two genders. Whereas, the interaction effect between political trust and political news use released by WeChat leaves prominent negative influences on the national identity of Chinese male netizens, but lacks significance with statistical meaning on Chinese females.