(The) role of social media virality metrics in influence perception of pro-environmental messages and behavioral intentions

Abstract

SMVM) displayed alongside a Facebook post in determining message recipients’ influence perceptions of the media content on themselves and others, and subsequent behavioral intentions. In a web-based experiment, participants read a Facebook post about climate change accompanied either by high or low levels of SMVM. The results indicate that participants in high SMVM condition, compared to low SMVM, reported a greater social desirability perception of the pro-environmental message. It was also found that high levels of SMVM led to diminished magnitude of the perception that others are more influenced by media content than themselves (the third-person perception, TPP) and increased magnitude of the perception of overall media influence on themselves and others (the second-person perception, SPP). These associations were mediated via social desirability perception of the message. Analyses of behavioral consequences revealed that TPP negatively, and SPP positively predicted participants’ intentions for climate change mitigation actions ranging from lifestyle changes to engaging in civic actions. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed with special emphasis on the potential role of shared influence perception in pro-social media content.

The present study investigated the role of social media virality metrics (i.e. numbers of likes and shares