Authors:  David Lazer, Anand E. Sokhey, Michael A. Neblo, Kevin M. Esterling, Ryan Kennedy 

Project Description: Do formal deliberative events influence broader political discussion? This study investigates "spillover effects" through a field experiment with U.S. Senate constituents. Findings reveal that participation significantly increased political conversations within participants' social networks. Crucially, there was no evidence that these effects were limited by individual or network characteristics, suggesting that even small-scale deliberative events can produce widespread, equitable diffusion of political engagement.

Publication Details:Political Communication, Vol. 32, No. 4 (2015), pp. 552–573 

Keywords: Social Networks, Political Discussion, Multiplier Effects