How young people get from voice to influence for change: exploring the relations between tactical choices and civic efficacy

Young people take advantage of new technologies to make their voices heard on important social issues. However, it is unclear whether they see expression as an end-point or starting-point for civic engagement, and how those perceptions relate to feelings of civic efficacy. This online study explored this question by asking young people aged between 18 and 25 (N = 873) to describe how they could address a civic issue they care about. The greatest efficacy was observed among participants who identified ways of using political expression to achieve civic goals extending beyond raising awareness to exerting influence through electoral or civic activities.