近年來包括「茉莉花革命」在內的許多實例，彰顯了網路在促進民眾的政治參與方面，有不可忽視的影響力。然而，對於網路使用與政治參與的關聯性，過去的研究看法不一。藉由2013年「台灣選舉與民主化調查」民調資料的次級資料分析，本研究試圖探討台灣民眾的政治參與情形。同時，藉由評估網路使用行為、政治參與，以及政治效能感三者之間的關聯，本研究試圖針對網路使用效果的「工具論」和「心理論」兩種觀點進行檢驗。研究結果顯示台灣民眾的網路使用行為和其政治參與呈現正面顯著相關。並且，網路使用行為和政治效能感產生交互作用。網路使用行為對於政治參與的影響力，某種程度也取決於民眾的政治效能感。對於政治效能感較高的民眾，他們越是利用網路獲得政治消息，他們越有可能參與政治活動。因此，「工具論」和「心理論」兩種觀點都適用於評估台灣民眾網路使用行為和其政治參與的關聯性。不過，研究結果也顯示目前台灣民眾的政治活動參與情況或程度仍然偏低。

In recent years, major events such as the Jasmine Revolution have demonstrated the powerful influence of the Internet in motivating political participation among people. However, scholars are divided over how the Internet use relates to political participation. Through the secondary analysis of the data from the 2013 Taiwan’s Election and Democratization Study, the current study intends to explore the nature of the political participation among the Taiwanese people. Meanwhile, the attempt was made to test both ＂instrumental＂ and ＂psychological＂ perspectives regarding the effect of the Internet use, by assessing the association among the Internet use, political participation and political efficacy. The result showed the Internet use among the Taiwanese people was positively associated with their political participation. In addition, there was an interactive effect between the Internet use and political efficacy, which in turn affects the political participation among the Taiwanese people. Thus theoretically, both ＂instrumental＂ and ＂psychological＂ perspectives can be applied in assessing the effect of the Internet use on political participation. However, the analysis also demonstrated the lower level of the political participation among the Taiwanese people.