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The Number of Likes Associated with Given Health-Related Messages on Facebook: The Moderating Effect of Value Involvement

Lee, Ji Young
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1430953033

Abstract Details

2015, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Communication.
Social media (e.g., Facebook) are often used to share health-related messages (e.g., in regard to drinking). It is also common for Facebook users, especially college students, to indicate that they like such messages through the liking feature on Facebook. Despite the wide use of consensus cues of this nature on social media, however, few studies have presented a conceptual definition of what constitutes a consensus cue (e.g., the number of “likes”). The present research attempted a clear definition of what constitutes a consensus cue on Facebook conceptually and operationally based on a careful review of the literature. Study 1 manipulated the number of likes associated a sunscreen message (i.e., no likes, 1 like, 2 likes, 15 likes, 34 likes, or 68 likes). The results showed a threshold point at which the number of likes functions as a consensus cue on Facebook. Participants tended to perceive the sunscreen message as having many likes when no likes, 15 likes, 34 likes, or 68 likes were posted to it compared to when 1 like or 2 likes were posted to it. Results also showed an interaction effect between the number of likes and issue involvement on behavioral intention. In the comparison between the no-likes and the 64-likes conditions, for participants high in issue involvement, the message with 68 likes tended to increase intentions to use sunscreen more than was the message without any likes. For participants low in issue involvement, the same message without any likes tended to increase their intentions more than the message with 68 likes. The findings of Study 1 suggest that whether or not participants used a consensus cue might depend on the individuals’ characteristics and on the message type. Therefore, Study 2 crossed no likes vs. 1 like vs. 68 likes and an anti- vs. a pro-binge-drinking message to investigate the moderating effect of value involvement on the effect of the number of likes associated with such messages on college binge drinkers. The results showed significant interaction effects on descriptive norms and behavioral intentions. In processing an anti-binge-drinking message, binge drinkers low in value involvement tended to be influenced by such a cue, such that a large number of likes tended to reduce intentions to engage in binge drinking and descriptive norms more than did the absence of likes. For binge drinkers high in value involvement, a large number of likes tended to have a boomerang effect by increasing behavioral intentions and descriptive norms. In processing a pro-binge-drinking message, however, regardless of the number of likes or message type, binge drinkers low in value involvement tended not to be influenced by such a cue in regard to either behavioral intentions or descriptive norms. Similarly, binge drinkers high in value involvement tended to perceive that many of their peers engaged in binge drinking regardless of the number of likes. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Michael D. Slater (Advisor)
David Ewoldsen (Committee Member)
Brandon Van Der Heide (Committee Member)
171 p.
Communication
the number of likes, Facebook, normative influence, consensus cues, value involvement, health communication, persuasion

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Lee, J. Y. (2015). The Number of Likes Associated with Given Health-Related Messages on Facebook: The Moderating Effect of Value Involvement [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1430953033

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Lee, Ji Young. The Number of Likes Associated with Given Health-Related Messages on Facebook: The Moderating Effect of Value Involvement . 2015. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1430953033.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Lee, Ji Young. "The Number of Likes Associated with Given Health-Related Messages on Facebook: The Moderating Effect of Value Involvement ." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1430953033

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1430953033
717
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.