The Process of Online Keyword Activism in Political Figure’s Crisis: Moderating Roles of Like-Minded Public Opinion and Government Controllability of Crisis Outcomes

Abstract

Using a national online survey in South Korea, this study examines the underlying psychological mechanisms of online keyword activism in supporting a politician. Findings show that when perceived like-minded opinion is extremely negative toward the politician, the like-minded opinion perception mitigates the effects of perceived majority opinion on crisis blame attribution and pro-politician activism. Government controllability intensifies the effects crisis blame has on pro-politician activism when it is extremely low. What drives more pro-politician activism is their perception of like-minded opinion through blaming external parties; what makes people refrain from pro-politician activism is their perception of low government controllability through blaming the politician.

Keywords

online activism like-minded public opinion public opinion climate political crisis government controllability

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