Populist Attitudes and Media Perception in Youth: A Comparative Study in Spain and Colombia

What is this article about?

This article explains a comparative correlational study analyzing populist attitudes, media perceptions, and public opinion among 499 Communication students in Spain and Colombia. Authors Romero-Rodríguez, Tejedor, and Pabón Montealegre use a quantitative survey to assess how youth engage with political content and perceive elite discourse through the lens of social media and digital platforms.

Why is it important?

This study highlights that populism is not inherently ideological but thrives through emotional simplification, anti-elitism, and media distrust. As political communication becomes increasingly polarized and digitalized, understanding these youth perceptions is vital for democratic resilience and media literacy programs.

Key Findings

1. Public opinion vs. media perception

• Spanish youth show higher alignment with public opinion.

• Colombian students report greater media distrust and anti-elitist sentiments.

2. Populism is not tied to extremism

• Students with populist attitudes do not strongly identify with extreme ideologies.

• Populism correlates more with political disillusionment than partisanship.

3. Social networks dominate news access

• 37.1% use social media as their main source for political information.

• Print and TV are declining, especially in Spain.

4. Gender and political interest

• Women show higher public opinion alignment.

• Men express more interest in politics, but this does not significantly shift their populist tendencies.

Regression Analysis Summary

A regression model showed that:

• Populist attitudes (β=0.15, p<0.001) and female gender (β=0.11, p<0.05) predict higher public opinion perception.

• Media perception negatively affects public opinion perception (β=-0.16, p<0.001).

• Other factors (age, extremism, education) showed no significant influence.

FAQs

Q: Are populist attitudes linked to far-left or far-right views?
A: No. The study shows that populist tendencies often exist outside ideological extremes, rooted more in emotional disconnection from politics.

Q: How do students perceive media?
A: Many believe mainstream media are biased and favor elites, especially in Colombia.

Q: What’s the role of media literacy here?
A: Critical media education is essential to help youth navigate digital polarization and develop informed political views.

Q: Are these findings generalizable?
A: While focused on Communication students, results suggest broader implications for youth in similar socio-political contexts.