Unpacking Selective and Incidental Exposure Paths to Political Tolerance: The Moderating Political Network Diversity

Abstract Social media platforms enable users to actively seek out preferred information while also inadvertently exposing them to content they may not be looking for. This study investigates the relationship between selective and incidental exposure and political tolerance in the United States. Findings reveal that frequent selective exposure on social media is associated with lower political tolerance. In contrast, frequent incidental exposure is linked to higher political tolerance. Notably, political network diversity on social media serves as a moderator for incidental exposure, as its positive relationship with political tolerance is observed only among individuals with highly diverse political networks. However, it does not moderate for selective exposure. These findings suggest that two distinct forms of social media exposure are associated with dual patterns, indicating that while selective exposure is linked to a lack of political acceptance, incidental exposure—particularly when occurring within politically diverse social media networks—is associated with increased political tolerance. We conclude by discussing the (un)democratic implications of these findings.