Influences of ethnicity, family communication, and media on adolescents’ socialization to U.S. politics

Abstract

This study focuses on the influences of ethnic group membership and family communication environment variables on adolescents’ knowledge, dispositions, and efficacy toward United States politics. Data were gathered in a survey of 10th‐, 11th‐, and 12th‐grade students. Hispanic ethnicity predicts more socio‐oriented family communication, less interpersonal political communication, less political knowledge, and less efficacy, while Native‐American ethnicity predicts less political communication. Results also suggest that adolescents make selective use of actual and vicarious experiences with the minority and majority cultures in their socialization to politics.