본 연구는 인터넷을 매개로 한 정치참여가 아니라 인터넷 상에서 이루어지는 정치참여로 연구범위를 한정하고, 인터넷 정치참여를 이용자 개인적 차원의 정치심리 변수와 퍼트남의 사회적 자본의 개념을 차용한 ‘인터넷 사회자본’(e－social capital)을 중심으로 그 관계성을 검토함으로써 인터넷 정치참여 결정요인을 탐색하는 것을 목적으로 한다. 정치심리 변수로는 탈물질적 가치(post－material value), 자아강도(personality strength), 정치효능감(sense of political efficacy), 정치만족도(political satisfaction)이며, 인터넷 사회자본의 구성요소는 인터넷상의 네트워크, 호혜성을 바탕으로 한 인터넷 규범, 그리고 인터넷매체 및 인터넷에서 접하는 정보와 만나는 사람들에 대한 신뢰로 구성된다. 그리고 정치참여는 정치 관련 정보를 찾아 읽고 학습하는 인지적 참여와 토론방 등에서 자신의 의사를 표현하는 등의 행위적 참여로 구분하였다. 연구결과 인지적 정치참여에는 4가지 정치심리 변수 및 규범과 신뢰가 주요 변수로 나타났으며, 행위적 정치참여에는 정치효능감, 정치만족도 그리고 규범, 신뢰가 유의미한 변수로 밝혀졌다. 또한 정치효능감과 신뢰가 인터넷 정치참여에 가장 큰 영향을 미치는 변수로 규명되었다.

This study explores the relationship between Internet political participation and e－social capital, derived from Putnam’s Social Capital theory, and aims to analyze critical factors that lead people to online political participation In this study, the political－psychology variables includes post－material value, personality strength, political efficacy and political satisfaction, while e－Social Capital comprises of online network, online norms based on mutual benefits, and trust on online information and people who met online. Also, political participation is divided into two categories, namely cognitive participation and behavioral participation. Cognitive participation implies that participants are active in searching, reading and studying related information, and behavioral participation means that participants are active in expressing their opinion though discussion room. The result of the study shows that 4 political－psychological factors, norm and trust were significant factors for cognitive participation. Also, political efficacy, political satisfaction and norm, trust were significantly related to behavioral participation, while political efficacy and trust influence on political participation the most.

This study explores the relationship between Internet political participation and e－social capital, derived from Putnam’s Social Capital theory, and aims to analyze critical factors that lead people to online political participation In this study, the political－psychology variables includes post－material value, personality strength, political efficacy and political satisfaction, while e－Social Capital comprises of online network, online norms based on mutual benefits, and trust on online information and people who met online. Also, political participation is divided into two categories, namely cognitive participation and behavioral participation. Cognitive participation implies that participants are active in searching, reading and studying related information, and behavioral participation means that participants are active in expressing their opinion though discussion room. The result of the study shows that 4 political－psychological factors, norm and trust were significant factors for cognitive participation. Also, political efficacy, political satisfaction and norm, trust were significantly related to behavioral participation, while political efficacy and trust influence on political participation the most.

Internet political participation, e－social capital, cognitive․behavioral political participation.