The Colbert Bump and The Facebook Follow-Through for Generation Snark: A Test and Extension of The Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior for 2012

A previous study (Peterson, 1993) of the theory of planned behavior (TPB, Ajzen, 1985, Ajzen and Fishbein, 2005) was re-visited through examining student questionnaires in a Mountain States liberal artscollege. The objective was to develop understanding into how the current generation of undergraduates develops voting intentions and behaviorsfor the 2012 general election.The results of the study generally confirmed the support for TPB found in the 1992 version, however, for this study additional moderating variables exploring the influence of satirical, social, and cable news media on voting opinions, intention, and behavior. In this regard, opinions related to the influence of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart , The Colbert Report , social media like Facebook and Twitter , and the influence of cable news networks like FOX , MSNBC , and Current TV were explored.While cable television networks showed no influence on this generation’s knowledge, attitude, or behavioral intent, the role of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report showed significant predictive value.