Cognitive and Behavioral Factors of Online Discussion as Antecedents of Deliberation and Tolerance Evidence from South Korea, United Kingdom and United States

The current study examined cognitive and behavioral factors of online discussion as antecedents of attitudes toward opposing views and two aspects of social norms, perceived importance of public deliberation and social tolerance. Employing surveys in South Korea, United Kingdom and United States, this study found that adjustment motive and discussion heterogeneity are positively associated with perceived importance of public deliberation and social tolerance in all three countries. As compared to their American and British counterparts, Koreans tend to participate in an online discussion to strengthen their preexisting political views rather than to seek facts or to scan varied opinions surrounding those issues. Thus, in South Korea, polarization between groups having differing opinions on an issue could be more conspicuous among those who are frequently involved in the online discussion activities such as reading comments and posting their thoughts in the public sphere. Further implications from the results are discussed.