Interpersonal Communication and Political Campaigns

Interpersonal communication has always played an essential role within politics and political campaigns. Conversations occurring between individuals, whether in person or through technology, often serve to moderate or mediate political messages from both campaigns and news sources, with opinion leaders playing a particularly important role in influencing the attitudes and behaviors of others within the social network. Much of the research on interpersonal communication dynamics within politics has been led by scholars from political science and mass communication, often through a media effects theoretical perspective. Recent research has begun to more fully explore the complexities of interpersonal communication, including personal motivations and social factors that drive individuals to engage in conversations about politics. Future research will need to examine how past theories of interpersonal communication apply to modern political campaign environments in which many conversations occur exclusively online via social networking platforms.

Duke Scholars

Author Brian Glen Southwell Medicine, General Internal Medicine