Political advertising effects and America's racially diverse newest voting generation

Because of historical structural barriers to their participation, minority groups have been characterized in past studies as less participatory, less efficacious, and more cynical than racial and ethnic majority voters. This study examines minority youth voters in terms of attitudes and feelings toward political candidates, channels of political information, and feelings of efficacy and cynicism through advertising experiments conducted across the United States. There was little effect on minority voter cynicism after exposure to ads, suggesting that young minorities find candidates believable, credible, and trustworthy. Peers are identified as the most significant source of information in these groups, making interpersonal communication a major change agent for young minority voters.