WhatsApp Statuses on Politico Religious Perspective: Party Followers Response

Abstract

Ideological affiliation not only has a crucial part in the social fabric of Pakistan but also is the guiding concept for the constitutional process and governmental system of the country. Drawing upon the theoretical perspective of cultivation, the study aimed at analyzing the influence/s of politico-religious WhatsApp statuses on religious association or inclination of the users and the effects of this association on the political decision making of the youth. Findings of the survey, that collected data from 1000 users of WhatsApp, showed a strong association between politico-religious association of content creator and political decision making scores of users. Beside, determining the significance of SNS as a tool of attitude formation on sensitive issues like politico-religious perceptions, the findings also highlight the threats posed. It stresses the need of sensitizing the users and increase in their media literacy. Sensible role of the religious workers, while uploading their WhatsApp statuses is also recommended.