Home Team Effect and Opinion Network after the Sewol Ferry Disaster: A mixed-method study of the influence of symbol and feedback on liberal versus conservative newspapers’ negative opinions

This mixed-method study investigates the effects of emotional and cognitive symbols and positive/negative feedback on liberal and conservative newspapers’ negative opinions of the South Korean President Park Geun-hye’s administration after the Sewol Ferry disaster. Analyzing 424 newspaper editorials and economic data from April to December 2014, the study uses multiple regression analyses and network analysis. Results show emotional symbols strongly influenced negative opinions, regardless of newspaper stance. The political system’s response to feedback varied, with liberal newspapers reacting more sensitively than conservative ones under the conservative administration. The conservative newspaper showed more lenient negative opinions, supporting the home team effect. The findings have theoretical and practical implications for understanding opinion networks in social science.

Ki Woong Cho