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How Social Influences and Individual Differences Affect Online-Activism

Kempelmann, Gloria Eva LU (2015) PSYP01 20151
Department of Psychology
Abstract
Traditional protest behaviours are motivated by social influences (e.g., Finkel & Opp, 1991), whereby individual differences moderate this effect (Bäck, Bäck, & Garcia-Albacete, 2013). With this experiment it is tested whether the same pathways apply to online activism. For this between-subject design, 75 young to middle-aged adults were tested on the traits of need to belong and rejection sensitivity. Following the exposure to either low (n = 34) or high (n = 41) social support, participants reacted upon petition appeals on a social network site. It was found that high social support enhanced the willingness to participate in online activism. However, rejection sensitivity in moderation of social support did not influence willingness to... (More)
Traditional protest behaviours are motivated by social influences (e.g., Finkel & Opp, 1991), whereby individual differences moderate this effect (Bäck, Bäck, & Garcia-Albacete, 2013). With this experiment it is tested whether the same pathways apply to online activism. For this between-subject design, 75 young to middle-aged adults were tested on the traits of need to belong and rejection sensitivity. Following the exposure to either low (n = 34) or high (n = 41) social support, participants reacted upon petition appeals on a social network site. It was found that high social support enhanced the willingness to participate in online activism. However, rejection sensitivity in moderation of social support did not influence willingness to engage in online activism, whereas need to belong in moderation of social support affected willingness to engage in online activism. Implications of these findings are set in context, and future research possibilities are discussed. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Kempelmann, Gloria Eva LU
supervisor
organization
course
PSYP01 20151
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
social incentives, rejection sensitivity, need to belong, online-activism, protest
language
English
id
5385664
date added to LUP
2015-05-19 11:29:51
date last changed
2015-05-19 11:29:51
@misc{5385664,
  abstract     = {{Traditional protest behaviours are motivated by social influences (e.g., Finkel & Opp, 1991), whereby individual differences moderate this effect (Bäck, Bäck, & Garcia-Albacete, 2013). With this experiment it is tested whether the same pathways apply to online activism. For this between-subject design, 75 young to middle-aged adults were tested on the traits of need to belong and rejection sensitivity. Following the exposure to either low (n = 34) or high (n = 41) social support, participants reacted upon petition appeals on a social network site. It was found that high social support enhanced the willingness to participate in online activism. However, rejection sensitivity in moderation of social support did not influence willingness to engage in online activism, whereas need to belong in moderation of social support affected willingness to engage in online activism. Implications of these findings are set in context, and future research possibilities are discussed.}},
  author       = {{Kempelmann, Gloria Eva}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{How Social Influences and Individual Differences Affect Online-Activism}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}