트위터의 의제설정효과 연구

Abstract

이 연구는 2012년 4월 11일에 실시된 제19대 국회의원선거이슈를 연구대상으로 선정하고, 커뮤니케이션의 대상과 이슈의 특정 측면들을 선택과 강조를 통하여 재해석하고 재구성하는 언론의 사회적 현실구성이 공중의 지각과 인지구조에 영향을 미침으로써 여론형성에 직접적으로 관여한다는 의제설정이론(agenda-setting theory)을 트위터(Twitter)에 적용하였다. 구체적으로는 선거이슈에 대하여 트위터에서 강조된 속성이 이슈에 대한 이용자의 인지적·정서적 인식, 전반적 중요도 지각과 어떠한 상관관계를 맺는지를 탐색하였다. 나아가 트위터의 쌍방향의 교환적 커뮤니케이션 특징에 유념하여 의제설정효과의 조건변인으로 선거이슈에 대한 이용자의 노출도와 능동적 활동(audience activity), 이용자가 파워 트위터리안에 대하여 형성하는 의사인간관계(para-social interaction)의 영향도 탐색하였다. 연구결과, 선거이슈에 대한 트위터의 인지적 속성 현저성은 선거이슈에 대하여 이용자가 지각한 중요도와 정적인 상관관계를 맺고 있었다. 선거이슈에 대한 이용자의 노출도와 능동적 활동이 인지적 차원의 속성 의제설정과정에 미치는 영향을 확인하는 결과도 유의미하였다. 선택적 지각활동과 주목활동, 관여활동 등 촉진적 활동 정도가 높은 이용자, 회의활동과 회피활동 등 억제적 활동 정도가 낮은 이용자, 트위터 상의 선거이슈를 많이 경험한 이용자가 지각한 인지적 속성 현저성과 트위터에서 구성한 인지적 속성 현저성 간의 유의미한 상관관계가 확인되었다. 정서적 차원의 속성 의제설정효과도 통계적으로 유의미한 결과가 확인됐으며, 이는 이용자가 트위터 상의 선거이슈의 부정적 논조에 노출됨에 따라서 선거이슈에 대한 부정적 태도를 형성한 것으로 해석할 수 있다. 이용자가 파워 트위터리안에 대하여 형성하는 의사인간관계가 정서적 차원의 속성 의제설정과정에 미치는 영향을 확인하는 결과도 유의미하였다. 파워 트위터리안에 대하여 친근한 심리적 인간관계를 형성하지 않는 이용자는 선거이슈에 대하여 전반적으로 부정적 논조로 공론화된 트위터 상의 선거이슈에 노출됨에 따라서 선거이슈에 대하여 부정적 태도를 형성함을 확인하였다. 속성 의제설정의 부차적 효과로서 선거 이슈 현저성을 검증하기 위하여 이용자가 지각한 9가지 인지적 속성 현저성을 독립변인으로, 이용자가 지각한 선거이슈 현저성을 종속변인으로 설정하였다. 다중 회귀분석결과, 특정 속성의제에 대하여 이용자가 지각한 중요도가 선거이슈에 대하여 지각한 중요도에 영향을 미치는 것으로 확인되었다. 이 연구는 의제설정이론과 이용과 충족이론을 접목하는 차원에서 트위터의 의제설정효과를 검증하였다. 동시에 선거이슈와 같은 사회적 이슈를 선택·해석·수용함에 있어서 미디어 등장인물에 대한 심리적 인간관계와 미디어 메시지에 대한 복합적인 정보처리활동을 동원하는 능동적인 소셜네트워크서비스 이용자상도 확인하였다. 특히 이 연구는 이용자가 선거이슈와 같은 사회적 이슈를 수용함에 있어서 동원하는 선택적 지각과 회피, 회의 등의 분별력 있는 정보처리활동은 여론의 불안과 갈등을 초래할 수 있는 편협한 의제나 루머가 확대 및 재생산되는 과정의 차단과 종식을 위한 자정능력의 원천으로 작용될 수 있음을 제시한다. 향후 2012년 12월 19일에 실시되는 제18대 대통령선거 연구 등을 통하여 트위터의 의제설정효과가 이슈에 대한 이용자의 인식뿐만 아니라 이슈에 대한 의견강도와 방향결정, 투표 등의 참여적 행동에 미치는 영향 등, 보다 심화된 단계로 트위터의 의제설정효과에 대한 연구가 후속될 필요성이 있다.| This study applies the agenda-setting theory to Twitter and concerning the issues regarding the 19th general election held on April 11th, 2012 in the Republic of Korea. According to the agenda-setting theory, media offers a social composition of reality by reinterpreting and recomposing reality through selection and emphasis of subjects and issues. Consequently, this social composition impacts public perception and thus, directly becomes involved in the process of public opinion formation. In particular, this study explores the correlation between emphasized attributes in Twitter regarding the issues of the elections and the users’ cognitive & affective awareness and perception of importance. Furthermore, considering the bilateral exchange of communication that occurs in Twitter, the impact of users’ exposure regarding the issues of the election, audience activity, para-social interaction with Power Twitterian were also examined as conditional variables of the agenda-setting effect. According to the study, the cognitive attribute salience of Twitter regarding the issues of the election has positive correlation with the users’ order of perceived importance regarding the above issues. Also, the study confirmed the meaningful impact of the users’ exposure and audience activity regarding the issues of the election on cognitive attribute agenda-setting effect. Moreover, significant correlation was found between the cognitive attribute salience perceived by users with selective perception and high level of stimulation activities such as activities concerning attention and involvement, users with low level of restraining activities such as activities regarding speculation and avoidance, users with a lot of expediences regarding the issues of the elections in Twitter and the cognitive attribute salience formed in Twitter. In the same line, the results regarding the affective dimension of attribute agenda-setting effect also revealed statistically significant results. Thus, it could be interpreted that a user who had been exposed to negative tone of election issues in Twitter may have formed a negative attitude regarding the concerned issues. In addition, the study demonstrates the impact of para-social interaction formed between the users and Power Twitterian on the affective dimension of attribute agenda-setting process as meaningful. The results indicated that exposure to an overall negative public opinion regarding the election issues by users who have not formed familiar relationship with Power Twitterian led to negative attitude regarding the election issues. In order to verify the salience of the election issues as secondary attribute agenda-setting effect, nine cognitive attributes’ salience were selected as independent variables. On the other hand, the salience of the election issues perceived by users was selected as dependant variables. According to the multiple regression analysis, the level of importance the user perceived regarding specific attribute agenda influenced the level of perceived importance of the election issues. In conclusion, this study verifies the agenda-setting effects of Twitter by grafting the agenda-setting theory with the uses and gratifications theory. At the same time, the study confirms the type of active social network service users leveraging complex information processing activity regarding media messages and psychological human relationship with media characters when selecting, interpreting, and receiving social issues such as the election issues. In particular, as this study postulates that discerning information processing activities such as selective perception, avoidance, and skepticism used by the users in responding to social issues such as the election issues, could become the source of balancing to thwart the expansion and reproduction of narrow-minded agenda or rumors that could cause public insecurities and conflicts. Further studies regarding the agenda-setting effects of Twitter, not only limited to user perception but also on the impact to participatory actions such as the decision of strength and direction of opinion and voting are recommended for the forthcoming 18th presidential election of the Republic of Korea to be held on December.; This study applies the agenda-setting theory to Twitter and concerning the issues regarding the 19th general election held on April 11th, 2012 in the Republic of Korea. According to the agenda-setting theory, media offers a social composition of reality by reinterpreting and recomposing reality through selection and emphasis of subjects and issues. Consequently, this social composition impacts public perception and thus, directly becomes involved in the process of public opinion formation. In particular, this study explores the correlation between emphasized attributes in Twitter regarding the issues of the elections and the users’ cognitive & affective awareness and perception of importance. Furthermore, considering the bilateral exchange of communication that occurs in Twitter, the impact of users’ exposure regarding the issues of the election, audience activity, para-social interaction with Power Twitterian were also examined as conditional variables of the agenda-setting effect. According to the study, the cognitive attribute salience of Twitter regarding the issues of the election has positive correlation with the users’ order of perceived importance regarding the above issues. Also, the study confirmed the meaningful impact of the users’ exposure and audience activity regarding the issues of the election on cognitive attribute agenda-setting effect. Moreover, significant correlation was found between the cognitive attribute salience perceived by users with selective perception and high level of stimulation activities such as activities concerning attention and involvement, users with low level of restraining activities such as activities regarding speculation and avoidance, users with a lot of expediences regarding the issues of the elections in Twitter and the cognitive attribute salience formed in Twitter. In the same line, the results regarding the affective dimension of attribute agenda-setting effect also revealed statistically significant results. Thus, it could be interpreted that a user who had been exposed to negative tone of election issues in Twitter may have formed a negative attitude regarding the concerned issues. In addition, the study demonstrates the impact of para-social interaction formed between the users and Power Twitterian on the affective dimension of attribute agenda-setting process as meaningful. The results indicated that exposure to an overall negative public opinion regarding the election issues by users who have not formed familiar relationship with Power Twitterian led to negative attitude regarding the election issues. In order to verify the salience of the election issues as secondary attribute agenda-setting effect, nine cognitive attributes’ salience were selected as independent variables. On the other hand, the salience of the election issues perceived by users was selected as dependant variables. According to the multiple regression analysis, the level of importance the user perceived regarding specific attribute agenda influenced the level of perceived importance of the election issues. In conclusion, this study verifies the agenda-setting effects of Twitter by grafting the agenda-setting theory with the uses and gratifications theory. At the same time, the study confirms the type of active social network service users leveraging complex information processing activity regarding media messages and psychological human relationship with media characters when selecting, interpreting, and receiving social issues such as the election issues. In particular, as this study postulates that discerning information processing activities such as selective perception, avoidance, and skepticism used by the users in responding to social issues such as the election issues, could become the source of balancing to thwart the expansion and reproduction of narrow-minded agenda or rumors that could cause public insecurities and conflicts. Further studies regarding the agenda-setting effects of Twitter, not only limited to user perception but also on the impact to participatory actions such as the decision of strength and direction of opinion and voting are recommended for the forthcoming 18th presidential election of the Republic of Korea to be held on December.