Online and Offline Political Participation: Relationships and Psychosocial Variables (Phase 4)

This research project examines the complex interaction between digital and traditional (offline) political participation in the Metropolitan District of Quito. Given the lack of academic consensus on whether the digital environment acts as a substitute, a reinforcement, or a catalyst for face-to-face political action, the study seeks to unravel the mediating and moderating mechanisms that explain this phenomenon. The research addresses how social media usage, distinguishing between informational and recreational purposes, influences citizen mobilization and civic engagement. It analyzes critical variables such as digital literacy, socioeconomic status, and gender, while integrating the role of social movements in the democratization of political access. Methodologically, the project employs a robust quantitative approach, utilizing data from previous surveys to conduct factor analysis, hypothesis testing, and structural equation modeling. The ultimate goal is to validate theoretical models that explain technological appropriation in the Ecuadorian context, contributing to academic literature on political behavior and digital communication through the publication of articles in indexed journals.<br/><br/><b>Goal</b>: <br/>Analyze the relationships between online and offline political participation, identifying their determinants and explanatory processes in the population of the Metropolitan District of Quito during 2021.<br/><br/><b>Research lines</b>: <br/>Political, social and community psychology