GENDER, NEWS MEDIA EXPOSURE AND POLITICAL CYNICISM - PUBLIC-OPINION OF HONG-KONGS FUTURE TRANSITION

Marginalized from the center of power, women in Hong Kong may be particularly vulnerable to the future political transition, as the territory prepares for an exchange from British to Chinese rule. How do women feel about the impending changes in Hong Kong? According to results from a recent (April 1993) representative telephone survey in Hong Kong (n = 502), women are less likely to have faith in the political future of Hong Kong than men. Moreover, this relationship between gender and political cynicism becomes more pronounced when controlling for socio-economic status and is more intensive among persons in their middle years. Contrary to expectations, exposure to newspapers does not encourage distrust, but instead appears to be associated with less cynicism of the future transition, at least among men. Women, on the other hand, are less likely to be susceptible to press coverage. In a context in which political transition is pending, such as in Hong Kong, it is imperative to attempt to understand the evolution and disintegration of political cynicism, particularly among those who may be vulnerable to political change.