Social media and political participation: A descriptive study on political participation behaviors

With the rapid development of communication technologies, social media has become one of the primary platforms through which political participation takes place. In addition to traditional forms of political participation, new types of engagement emerging through social media have transformed individuals' attitudes, behaviors, and modes of interaction regarding political life. This study aims to reveal, through a descriptive approach, the relationship between individuals' social media usage practices and their political participation behaviors. The present study investigates the social media usage patterns of individuals residing in the province of Isparta during the periods of the 2023 General Elections and the 2024 Local Elections, with a specific focus on the relationship between such usage and political participation behaviors. Utilizing a convenience sampling method, data were collected online from a sample of 414 participants. Through the application of quantitative data collection techniques, the study analyzes the correlations between attitudes and behaviors related to social media use and various forms of political participation. Within the scope of the research, three main factors related to individuals' use of social media were identified. These are: "Information acquisition", which refers to following political content and tracking the current agenda; "Participation", which involves behaviors such as liking political posts, commenting, and expressing opinions; and "Active participation", which includes supporting online campaigns, joining digital protests, and producing one's own political content. The analyses demonstrate how these three factors vary across different socio-demographic groups and in which areas political participation behaviors are concentrated. The findings indicate that social media offers individuals various opportunities for engaging in political life and that forms of participation differ according to the types of social media use. In this respect, the study aims to contribute to understanding the role of social media in the structural transformation of political participation.