GEC.E3 Ch5.L4 PDF

Catanduanes State University
COLLEGE OF INFORMATION AND

COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
Virac, Catanduanes
LEARNING MATERIALS AND COMPILATION OF

LECTURES/ACTIVITIES
GEC3
LIVING IN THE I.T. ERA
D ISC L AIM ER
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approach, espoused by CHED in response to the pandemic that has globally affected
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College of Information and Communications Technology

C H APTER 5: D AR K SID E OF TH E INT E R N ET
LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Differentiate the utopian and dystopian views of the internet;
2. Determine the rate of progress of acceleration in media and information;
3. Define the causes and effects of internet addiction and isolation; and
4. Distinguish the impact of selective exposure on political polarization.
KEY TERMS
1. Utopia
2. Dystopia
3. Internet invariants
4. Media messages
5. Internet addiction
6. Selective exposure
7. Political polarization
L E S S O N 4 : S E L E C T I V E E X P O S U R E AN D P O L I T I C AL P O L AR I Z AT I O N
Citizens’ media use and its democratic consequences have been of scholarly interest for decades.
Because information is essential for citizens to understand their environment, form opinions and
attitudes, and make decisions, where people turn for news and information is an important issue. Given
this importance, it has become a major concern how individuals consume information and its
consequences for the democratic process such as how information affects citizens’ attitude formation,
political knowledge, and political participation.
4.1 Selective Exposure

One phenomenon that characterizes how citizens acquire information is that individuals select
information and news sources on the basis of their views and beliefs. In other words, citizens seek out
information that is congruent with their preexisting beliefs, a behavior which is called selective
exposure.
From a normative perspective, selective exposure may have both positive and negative implications.
Selective media use could increase citizens’ interest in politics, resulting in greater levels of political
participation—a normatively desirable goal for a participatory democracy. Although exposure to
conflicting perspectives, or cross-pressures, may lower citizens’ campaign interest and participation in
politics, exposure to information that is similar to one’s own political views increases political
participation by increasing interest in public affairs. Political polarization may endanger democracy “by
obscuring the substance of policy arguments, unhinging the implementation of long-standing policies,
and increasing the resistance to any change”.
4.2 Political Polarization

Note: For the context of fully understanding what Political Polarization is, we would be examining the
American political parties.
The United States has two main political parties, the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. In the
early 1990s, the two parties had more similar policy agendas than they do today. Over the last 25 years,
the Democratic Party has moved more to the “left,” while the Republican Party has moved more to the
“right.”
What do “left” and “right” mean in American politics?
Politics are complicated, and it is hard to reduce policies to a simple left–right spectrum. In general, the
left is associated with socially liberal policies and economic policies that create a greater social safety
net, while the right is associated with socially conservative policies and less regulation of the economy.
Left (Liberal) Right (Conservative)

Economic Policies expansion of government- lowering taxes on wealth;
provided health care; limiting government
increase in minimum wage regulation of the economy
Social Policies expansion of LGBTQ rights; immigration restrictions;

more pathways to citizenship for limiting access to abortion
immigrants
38
So what causes polarization?
The formal definition of polarization is derived from that of polarity, which is the “state of having two
opposite or contradictory tendencies, opinions, and aspects.” 1 There are usages of polarization that
span almost all possible political “tendencies, opinions, and aspects.” The public has variously been
described as polarized over cultural norms and practices, religion, attitudes toward subgroups, policy
preferences, and partisan attachments. In some cases, the definition is stretched to encompass social
and political divisions involving more than two groups—such as when polarization is used to describe
conflicts among social, ethnic, and racial identities.
Polarization is complex, and scholars are still debating the exact factors that contribute to it. This section
highlights four of the many factors that are likely contributing to polarization’s rise:
1. Political Activism
Political activists in each party tend to push for policies that are further to the left (in the
Democratic Party) and further to the right (in the Republican Party). Some scholars believe that
the increased influence of political activists has widened the gap between the two parties’
platforms.
2. Election Policies
Recent policy changes have given political activists more power to influence which candidates
get picked to run for office. For example, campaign finance reforms have made it easier for
political activists to give large amounts of money to the candidate they support. Also, more
districts are, which can lead to districts that are overwhelmingly populated by members of the
same party. Gerrymandered districts often elect candidates who support policies that appeal
more to the party base than to the center of the political spectrum. Primary elections can push
political parties more toward the poles as well, since candidates often must appeal to activists
within their political party in order to win a primary.
3. In-Group Bias
Psychological factors also play a vital role in reinforcing partisanship. While we may like to think
that people form their political opinions based on a rational evaluation of different policies,
research shows that cognitive biases, such as in-group bias, drive people to change their
political opinions to match those of their group.
Anytime we join a group, we start to develop positive feelings toward other group members and
negative or distrustful feelings toward non-members. In the American two-party system, people
often have negative associations with members of the other political party. These negative
feelings can make it difficult for people to have productive conversations about policy across
the political divide. Once people are members of a political party, they often switch their political
opinions to match the positions of their chosen party. As a result, as political parties become
more polarized, so do the average voters.
4. Media Bubbles
Many Americans are exposed to partisan news in their social media feeds and often have very
few social media friends on the other end of the political spectrum. Online platforms, such as
YouTube, use algorithms to expose viewers to increasingly extreme content, which can lead
them to fringe political views without their realizing it. Spending time in a political echo-chamber
can make it easier for negative feelings toward members of the other political party to develop.
What can I do about political polarization?
Reforming the policies that govern elections and governance can help decrease political polarization,
but there are also things that individuals can do:
1. Focus on issues rather than parties: Decide what policies you want to pass, instead of
focusing only on which political party you want to win the election. Try getting involved in local
politics, where issues often matter more than political parties.
2. Break out of your media bubble: Try to follow a variety of news sources that examine
issues from different political angles. You can use AllSides to find out more about the political
leanings of different news outlets.
3. Learn to listen: Try to understand the perspectives of people on the other side of the political
spectrum and listen to other points of view before judging. Read the Greater Good Magazine
article “Five Ways to Have Better Conversations Across Difference” for advice on how to have
a productive discussion with people who have different perspectives or experiences.

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Catanduanes State University

COLLEGE OF INFORMATION AND

LEARNING MATERIALS AND COMPILATION OF

This learning material is used in compliance with the flexible teaching-learning

media like Facebook, Instagram, etc.).

College of Information and Communications Technology

4.1 Selective Exposure

4.2 Political Polarization

What do “left” and “right” mean in American politics?

Left (Liberal) Right (Conservative)

Social Policies expansion of LGBTQ rights; immigration restrictions;

What can I do about political polarization?

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