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To trust or not to trust? The relationship between social media and trust in the Dutch government

Zoet, M. (2023) To trust or not to trust? The relationship between social media and trust in the Dutch government.

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Abstract:This study investigates the relationship between social media usage and trust in the Dutch government, alongside the role of echo chambers, filter bubbles and the spread of misinformation. With trust in the Dutch government being historically low, the study aims to contribute to the understanding of the influence of social media on attitudes and behaviours and its possible impact on institutional trust. The study also aims to contribute to a growing body of literature on social media usage and its influence on behaviours and attitudes. A quantitative research design was employed, using a Dutch questionnaire to collect data (N= 146). Different scales measuring exposure to echo chambers, filter bubbles and misinformation were used, along with measuring filter bubble awareness. While the consistency of certain scales was too low, factor analysis showed seven different factors influencing the data. Trust scores of different institutions were analysed and showed a high correlation with trust in information. Hence, the data did not provide enough evidence to investigate the role of misinformation in the relationship between social media usage and trust in the government. The correlation between trust in the institutions and the information people receive from them indicates that institutions should focus on providing accurate information to build trust.
Item Type:Essay (Bachelor)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:05 communication studies
Programme:Communication Studies BSc (56615)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/95510
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