Efectos de la exposición selectiva en la percepción de los líderes políticos en una democracia afectivamente polarizada: el caso de España

Selective exposure to partisan media is one of the mechanisms most investigated as a cause of affective polarization. This study aims to offer a more qualitative view of the phenomenon based on the perceived traits of political leaders. Using survey data from the 2015 general elections, the study analyses the impact of cumulative information consumption on the perception of Spanish and Catalan political leaders. The results show that cumulative selective consumption has an impact on the improvement or worsening of affective perception of political leaders, especially in the case of nationalist and pro-independence leaders. The results are discussed within the framework of the contributory perspective of the informative consumption of traditional media and the effects of the Catalan independence process on affective polarization in Spain.