Cognitive Media Literacy in the Digital Age: Structural and Behavioral Dimensions of Inequality

Authors

• Elif Pınar Aciyan Şen, Independent Researcher
• Murad Karaduman, Akdeniz University

Document Type

Research Article

Abstract

The expansion of digital technologies has not only transformed media production and consumption but also reshaped the cognitive conditions through which individuals interpret information. Drawing on W. James Potter’s (2004) cognitive model of media literacy, this study explores how cognitive dimensions of media literacy relate to digital inequalities among adults. To operationalize the model, index variables were developed for its four subdimensions, knowledge structures, personal locus, competencies, and skills, using multiple theoretically defined item domains. Based on a stratified face-to-face survey with 400 adults in Antalya, Türkiye, multiple regression analyses reveal that age and education are the strongest predictors of cognitive media literacy, while digital ownership patterns, the number and type of devices owned, further explain inequalities in cognitive engagement. The results demonstrate that unequal ownership and use of digital technologies translate into cognitive differences in how individuals filter, match, and construct meaning from media messages. By linking cognitive theory with empirical evidence, the study contributes to understanding the cognitive roots of digital inequality and calls for inclusive media literacy frameworks that integrate access, awareness, and critical interpretation across generations.

Recommended Citation

Aciyan Şen, E., & Karaduman, M. (2026). Cognitive Media Literacy in the Digital Age: Structural and Behavioral Dimensions of Inequality. Journal of Media Literacy Education Pre-Prints. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/jmle-preprints/56

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.