Young, LisaThomas, MelaneePike, Ryan2014-12-242015-02-232014-12-242014Pike, R. (2014). Unraveling The Impact Of Media Use On Political Knowledge (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/28592http://hdl.handle.net/11023/1978Contributing to the effort to explain declining political knowledge levels among young Canadians, this thesis examines the relationship between an individual's media use and their level of political knowledge. Its core hypothesis held that reliance on online media for political information – as many young Canadians do – would result in lower levels of political knowledge. Using a multi-dimensional operationalization of political knowledge, this thesis finds that Canadians most likely to be knowledgable about domestic politics are older men with higher levels of education and income who read news from online sources. Canadians most likely to be knowledgable about international politics are men with higher levels of education who read news from online sources. Canadians most likely to be knowledgable about the practical application of government programs and policies are older women. In contrast with both public perception and a section of the literature, reliance on online news sources for political information is the strongest positive media influence on political knowledge for two of the three types of political knowledge, while age, gender and education are strong influencers on knowledge across all types.engUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.Education--Social SciencesPolitical KnowledgePolitical Communicationmaster thesis10.11575/PRISM/28592