Abstract: This study examined if and how Facebook user-generated comments about the flu vaccine influenced psychological reactance in conjunction with pre-existing flu vaccine attitude. Psychological reactance was further tested as a mediating factor influencing behavioral intention to receive the vaccine. An experimental study was conducted with 264 college students. The results showed that pre-existing attitude positively influenced participants’ intention to obtain the flu vaccine through an increase (a decrease) in psychological reactance when there was inconsistency (consistency) between the pre-existing attitude and valence of comments. Collectively, the results demonstrate that psychological reactance is one possible theoretical mechanism through which social media users’ health behaviors are influenced by user-generated comments.
Topic: flu vaccine
The Effects of User Comment Valence of Facebook Health Messages on Intention to Receive the Flu Vaccine: The Role of Pre-existing Attitude Toward the Flu Vaccine and Psychological Reactance
Abstract: This study examined if and how Facebook user-generated comments about the flu vaccine influenced psychological reactance in conjunction with pre-existing flu vaccine attitude. Psychological reactance was further tested as a mediating factor influencing behavioral intention to receive the vaccine. An experimental study was conducted with 264 college students. The results showed that pre-existing attitude positively influenced participants’ intention to obtain the flu vaccine through an increase (a decrease) in psychological reactance when there was inconsistency (consistency) between the pre-existing attitude and valence of comments. Collectively, the results demonstrate that psychological reactance is one possible theoretical mechanism through which social media users’ health behaviors are influenced by user-generated comments.
What You Believe Might Not Be True: False Consensus Effect and the Flu Vaccine Controversy.
Abstract: According to studies on the impact of comments on the false consensus effect, exposure to other people’s reactions can elicit misperceptions, in turn influencing message acceptance. We investigated whether comment valence dominance and comment order were related to false consensus in the context of the flu vaccine controversy. Results from an experimental study suggest that the false consensus effect mediated the relationship between comment valence dominance and attitude toward the flu vaccine. Moreover, comment valence dominance strengthened the false consensus effect in participants with a pre-existing negative attitude toward the flu vaccination. Findings have theoretical and practical implications for social perception bias and health communication.