While numerous studies have documented an association between mainstream media trust and mainstream media use, only little is known about potential causal mechanisms underlying the association. We theorize that selective exposure, social influence, and the reinforcing spirals model offer three possible mechanisms that may underlie the association. These possibilities were studied using random intercept cross-lagged panel models and latent curve models on a four-wave panel data set (n = 3,540). For mainstream media, the results show an asymmetrical reinforcing spiral, in which the effect of mainstream media trust on use can be considered as one of yielding maintenance, while the impact of media use on mainstream media trust to a limited degree is in line with the notion of a spiral gradually (though inconsistently) increasing trust over time. We also find that use of right-wing alternative media consistently and sometimes robustly leads to decreasing mainstream media trust.

中文翻译：

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不对称的加强螺旋？解开媒体使用和主流媒体信任的纵向动态


虽然许多研究记录了主流媒体信任与主流媒体使用之间的关联，但对这种关联的潜在因果机制知之甚少。我们推测，选择性暴露、社会影响和强化螺旋模型提供了三种可能的关联机制。在四波面板数据集 （n = 3,540） 上使用随机截距交叉滞后面板模型和潜在曲线模型研究了这些可能性。对于主流媒体，结果显示了一个不对称的强化螺旋，其中主流媒体信任对使用的影响可以被认为是产生维护的一种，而媒体使用对主流媒体信任的影响在有限程度上与随着时间的推移逐渐（尽管不一致）增加信任的螺旋的概念一致。我们还发现，对右翼另类媒体的持续使用，有时甚至是强烈的，导致主流媒体信任度下降。