Education, Need for Cognition, and Campaign Interest as Moderators of News Effects on Political Knowledge: An Analysis of the Knowledge Gap

In: Journalism & mass communication quarterly: JMCQ, Volume 82, Issue 4, p. 910-929

Abstract

This study attempts to replicate recent findings suggesting a reversal of the standard knowledge gap, i.e., that the relationship between television news use and knowledge is greater among those with less than with more education. We also extend this approach to examine need for cognition and campaign interest as additional moderators beyond the standard education-based analysis. Our results reveal mixed support for the general hypothesis that the pattern of interaction between these moderators and news media use varies depending on whether the medium of interest is television news or print newspapers.