“I Don’t Care About Politics, I Just Like That Guy!” Affective Disposition and Political Attributes in Information Processing of Political Talk Shows

Authors

  • Carina Weinmann Institute for Media and Communication Studies University of Mannheim
  • Franziska S. Roth Institute for Media and Communication Studies University of Mannheim
  • Frank M. Schneider Institute for Media and Communication Studies University of Mannheim
  • Tanja Krämer DB Mobility Logistics AG Frankfurt
  • Frederic R. Hopp Department of Communication University of California, Santa Barbara
  • Melanie J. Bindl Institute of Media Studies and Communication Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
  • Arlene Luck Institute for Media and Communication Studies University of Mannheim

Keywords:

political talk shows, affective disposition, affect infusion model, political judgments, affective issue involvement

Abstract

Drawing on the affect infusion model and on affective disposition theory, this study aims to explain the influence of viewers’ affective disposition toward the guests of political TV talk shows on their information processing and judgments. The affective disposition was manipulated in an experiment. Results suggest that this affective disposition remained stable during exposure to the program, leading to predetermined information processing of the discussed political issue and a judgment that is consistent with the one made by the guest. Without prior manipulation of affective disposition, affective involvement with the issue influenced the viewers’ judgments instead, indicating open information processing.

Author Biographies

Carina Weinmann, Institute for Media and Communication Studies University of Mannheim

Carina Weinmann (M.A., University of Mannheim) is a PhD Student and Research Associate at the Institute for Media and Communication Studies, University of Mannheim.  Her main research interests concern political communication and entertainment research, with a specific focus on the connection of both areas.

Franziska S. Roth, Institute for Media and Communication Studies University of Mannheim

Franziska Susanne Roth (Ph.D., University of Mannheim) is a quantitative UX Researcher in the Product Design Department of Zalando SE. In her research, she focuses on the influence of entertainment experiences on information processing as well as the role of emotions in the on-site behavior of e-commerce users.

Frank M. Schneider, Institute for Media and Communication Studies University of Mannheim

Frank M. Schneider (Ph.D., University of Koblenz-Landau) is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Media and Communication Studies, University of Mannheim, Germany.  His research interests include entertainment and political communication research, media processes and effects, and research methods.

Tanja Krämer, DB Mobility Logistics AG Frankfurt

Tanja Krämer (B.A., University of Mannheim) is a postgraduate student at the Institute of Business Administration with a focus on Marketing, University Kiel, Germany. Her interests include corporate communication, as well as new technology media and innovation management.

Frederic R. Hopp, Department of Communication University of California, Santa Barbara

Frederic R. Hopp (B.A., University of Mannheim) is a postgraduate student in the Department of Communication at the University of California, Santa Barbara and researcher at UCSB’s Media Neuroscience Lab.  His research interests include media psychology, media processes and effects, and new technology media.

Melanie J. Bindl, Institute of Media Studies and Communication Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

Melanie J. Bindl (B.A., University of Mannheim) is a postgraduate student at the Institute of Media Studies and Communication, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany.  Her research interests include corporate and political communication, as well as media effects.

Arlene Luck, Institute for Media and Communication Studies University of Mannheim

 Peter Vorderer (Ph.D. 1992, Technical University of Berlin) is a Full Professor at the Institute for Media and Communication Studies, University of Mannheim, Germany.  His research interests include entertainment and political communication, media processes and effects, particularly in respect to new technologies.

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Published

2017-08-14

Issue

Vol. 11 (2017)

Section

Articles

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