Online Influence? Social Media Use, Opinion Leadership, and Political Persuasion

Bibliographic Data

ID12233003
AuthorsBrian E Weeks (0000-0003-2355-2302, Diego Portales University, corresponding author), Alberto Ardèvol-Abreu (0000-0001-8722-5226, University of Michigan), Homero Gil De Zúñiga (0000-0002-4187-3604, Diego Portales University)
Year2015
Pagesedv050-edv050
Publication date2015-12-31
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Public Opinion Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0954-2892 • E-ISSN: 1471-6909
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1093/ijpor/edv050
OpenAlexW2290302962
LanguageEN
Citations received120
References cited61

Opinion leaders can be influential in persuading their peers about news and politics, yet their potential influence has been questioned in the social media era. This study tests a theoretical model of attempts at political persuasion within social media in which highly active users ("prosumers") consider themselves opinion leaders, which subsequently increases efforts to try and change others' political attitudes and behaviors. Using two-wave U.S. panel survey data (W1 = 1,816; W2 = 1,024), we find prosumers believe they are highly influential in their social networks and are both directly and indirectly more likely to try to persuade others. Our results highlight one theoretical mechanism through which engaged social media users attempt to persuade others and suggest personal influence remains viable within social media

Opinion leadership · Persuasion · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Social media · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Media Studies and Communication · Psychology · Social Media and Politics · Law · Social Psychology