Between Likes and Shares: Effects of Emotional Appeal and Virality on the Persuasiveness of Anticyberbullying Messages on Facebook

Abstract

Growth in the popularity of social networking sites (SNSs) such as Facebook has been accompanied by unintended negative results (e.g., cyberbullying). SNSs could offer solutions, as well. In this article, we explore the persuasive effects of the emotional appeal and message virality of Facebook status updates. Using status updates for a fictitious anticyberbullying organization, we conducted a 3×2×2×3 (emotional tone × affective evaluation × viral reach × message repetition) mixed factorial experiment (N=365). Positive messages resulted in more positive message evaluations and stronger anticyberbullying attitudes and viral behavioral intentions. Further, low message virality led to the most favorable message evaluations, while high virality resulted in stronger anticyberbullying attitudes.

What’s in a post? How sentiment and issue salience affect users’ emotional reactions on Facebook

“…13 Moreover, we ran another set of models, controlling for the number of "Likes" each post received. This could be seen as a proxy measure for the virality of a post (Alhabash et al, 2013). However, since emotionally labeled response emojis and "Likes" do not have any obvious causal sequence (i.e., either could influence the other), we only show them in Table A3.…”

Selection and Transmission Processes for Information in the Emerging Media Environment: Psychological Motives and Message Characteristics

“…S. Lee et al, 2011; Phelps et al, 2004). Positively valenced information should be more widely shared, because it can enhance positive images of senders (Alhabash, et al, 2013; Kim et al, 2013). The role of positive emotions in the form of humor (Campo, et al, 2013; Shifman, 2012) and pride and empathy (van den Hooff, Schouten, & Simonovski, 2012) predict transmission measured through intentions as well as behaviors.…”

To comment or not to comment?: How virality, arousal level, and commenting behavior on YouTube videos affect civic behavioral intentions

“…Participants indicated their agreement/disagreement with 11 statements using seven-point scales anchored with ''Strongly Disagree'' and ''Strongly Agree'' (Alhabash et al, 2013;Eckler & Bolls, 2011). Upon satisfactory factor and reliability analyses (see Appendix A), VBI was computed for each message.…”

“…Between a third and a half of adolescents report having been cyberbullied, and 80% of them observe others being cyberbullied (BullyingStatistics.org, 2013;Hinduja & Patchin, 2010;i-SAFE, 2004;Lenhart, 2007;National Crime Prevention Council, 2010;Patchin, 2010;Statistics Brain, 2013;Webster, 2010). A recent study found that about one-fifth of college students have been bullied and cyberbullied and about 70% of students observed others being cyberbullied, indicating the problem's prevalence on college campuses (Alhabash, McAlister, Hagerstrom, Quilliam, Rifon, & Richards, 2013).…”