本研究觀察國內近年所舉辦的三次選舉活動,發現社群媒體的應用情形,恰好反映其從網誌發展至微網誌的歷程,以及社群媒體受歡迎的程度,因而將2009年三合一選舉定義為「網誌成熟應用期」,2010年五都首長選舉為「網誌/微網誌並用期」,2012年總統大選則為「微網誌普遍應用期」。本研究在三次選舉期間均進行問卷調查,試圖比較分析選舉期間應用不同形態之社群媒體,民眾的使用動機、依賴程度及可信度認知上的變化情況,資料分析顯示,民眾對於候選人網誌的依賴程度、可信度與使用動機都要高於微網誌,本研究建議政治傳播之社群媒體應用,不應盲目追隨流行,宜以網誌部落格進行資訊傳遞分享,用臉書等的微網誌來強化部落格訊息的散佈及擴大其影響力。
Based on the observation of political communication through social media during three recent elections, the application matched the development from blogs to microblogs and the media popularity for describing the Three-in-One Election in 2009 as "a period blogs maturely applied," the Five-City Mayoral Election in 2010 as "a period blogs and microblogs were applied together," and the Presidential Election of 2012 as "a period microblogs were frequently applied." Data were collected during the 3 elections to determine the differences between user dependence, motivations, and credibility perception on political social media. The data analysis revealed that user dependence, motivations, and credibility perception on blogs were stronger than on microblogs. This study suggested that political campaigns use blogs for information transmission and microblogs to diffuse and increase blog influence.