Examining the perceptual gap and behavioral intention in the perceived effects of polling news in the 2008 Taiwan presidential election

This study examines the impact of polling news in the 2008 Taiwan presidential election from a third-person effect perspective. Results of a survey using a random sample of 1,097 respondents indicate that they perceived news about election polls to have a greater effect on others than themselves, regardless of whether the effects were perceived as negative or positive. Furthermore, findings show that attention to election polling news enhanced the perceived positive effects on self and others. Findings also point to a link between poll credibility and perceived effects on self and others. The less credible elections polls are perceived, the larger is the self-other perceptual gap. Finally, concern about the negative effects of election polling news on others is found to motivate respondents to consider protective behavior. However, findings show that perceived positive effects of such news on self resulted in intention to engage in campaign discourse. Theoretical implications of the findings to advance the third-person effect research are discussed.