Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-12-2019
Abstract
Although a great deal of research has examined the potential negative effects of Facebook, studies also show that Facebook use can lead to various positive effects. This study builds on this positive effects scholarship: together, the two studies presented herein aim to provide an understanding of the inspirational content available on Facebook and the way social media users in the United States encounter, recall, and interact with this content. Results from the quantitative content analysis in Study 1 show that inspirational Facebook posts contain similar frequencies of hope and appreciation of beauty and excellent elicitors when compared with other forms of media and social media. Results from the national survey conducted in Study 2 show that social media users are most often inspired by portrayals of kindness and overcoming obstacles and that Facebook users did not report different sharing behavior as compared with users of other social media sites.
Recommended Citation
Dale, K. R., Raney, A. A., Ji, Q., et al. (2020). Self-transcendent emotions and social media: Exploring the content and consumers of inspirational Facebook posts. New Media & Society, 22(3), 507-527. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444819865720
Copyright
The authors
Included in
Community Psychology Commons, Other Psychology Commons, Personality and Social Contexts Commons, Social Media Commons, Social Psychology Commons
Comments
This is a pre-copy-editing, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in New Media & Society, volume 22, issue 3, in 2020 following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version is available online at https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444819865720.