The effects of user comment valence of Facebook health messages on intention to receive the flu vaccine

The role of pre-existing attitude towards the flu vaccine and psychological reactance

Bibliographic Data

ID21498147
AuthorsHanyoung Kim (0000-0001-5721-4104, University of Georgia, corresponding author), Youngji Seo (0009-0000-5020-4341, University of Georgia), Hye Jin Yoon (0000-0002-8937-0600, University of Georgia), Jeong Yeob Han (University of Georgia), Youngjee Ko (0009-0000-0809-6068, University of Georgia)
Year2021
Volume40
Issue7
Pages1187-1208
Publication date2021-10-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Advertising (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0265-0487 • E-ISSN: 1759-3948
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/02650487.2020.1863065
OpenAlexW3118296921
LanguageEN
Citations received12
References cited65

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 behavioural 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 behaviours are influenced by user-generated comments

Advertising · Business · Reactance · Hate Speech and Cyberbullying Detection · Misinformation and Its Impacts · Psychology · Social Psychology · Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy

Tools

Open DOI