Habitually Scrolling

An Examination Into How Sport Consumers Use Social Media

Bibliographic Data

ID21834154
AuthorsHeather Kennedy (0000-0002-1920-6629, University of Guelph), Daniel C Funk (0000-0003-0823-4381, Temple University)
Year2023
Volume16
Issue2
Pages187-201
Publication date2023-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Sport Communication (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1936-3907 • E-ISSN: 1936-3915
PublisherHuman Kinetics (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1123/ijsc.2023-0001
OpenAlexW4323899078
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited43

Uses and gratifications theory has often been used in (sport) communication studies to examine social media usage. Yet, criticisms of uses and gratifications theory (e.g., it overstates purposefulness) and competing research suggesting media use is more habitual and unconscious in nature have often been overlooked. Thus, through semistructured interviews, this research explored how social media is used, identifying five themes: passively, distinctly, periodically, habitually, and universally. Theoretically, this research contributes by highlighting the passive, habitual, and unconscious nature of some sport social media behavior, thereby challenging our current assumptions that sport social media usage is always active, purposeful, and goal directed. It also considers the uniqueness (or lack thereof) of sport content within the social media experience. Managerially, this research helps sport organizations understand how consumers use social media to inform marketing and communication strategies

Advertising · Business · Political science · Social media · Sociology · Unconscious mind · Uses and gratifications theory · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Psychology · Social Psychology · Sport and Mega-Event Impacts · Sports, Gender, and Society

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