Spokespersons for science: examining social media influencers' popularization of controversial technologies on YouTube

Jiemin Looi; Shirley S. Ho

doi:10.22323/2.22010206

Spokespersons for science: examining social media influencers' popularization of controversial technologies on YouTube

Jiemin Looi^*
, Shirley S. Ho

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Communication Studies

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

An online experiment involving 251 Singaporeans assessed how social media influencers' (SMIs) prototypicality (i.e., embodiment of group attitudes) and social attraction affected their popularization of nuclear energy development. Participants exposed to a SMI with high prototypicality perceived the YouTube video more favorably, displayed greater intention to share the YouTube video, and possessed greater attitude intensity toward nuclear energy development. Participants displayed greater intention to share the YouTube video when the SMI had high social attraction and possessed moderate to high prototypicality. Conversely, participants displayed less intention to share the YouTube video when the SMI had low social attraction and prototypicality.

Original language	English
Article number	A06
Number of pages	23
Journal	Journal of Science Communication
Volume	22
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.22323/2.22010206
Publication status	Published - 8 Feb 2023

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

User-Defined Keywords

Popularization of science and technology
Public engagement with science and technology
Science and media

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10.22323/2.22010206Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

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title = "Spokespersons for science: examining social media influencers' popularization of controversial technologies on YouTube",

abstract = "An online experiment involving 251 Singaporeans assessed how social media influencers' (SMIs) prototypicality (i.e., embodiment of group attitudes) and social attraction affected their popularization of nuclear energy development. Participants exposed to a SMI with high prototypicality perceived the YouTube video more favorably, displayed greater intention to share the YouTube video, and possessed greater attitude intensity toward nuclear energy development. Participants displayed greater intention to share the YouTube video when the SMI had high social attraction and possessed moderate to high prototypicality. Conversely, participants displayed less intention to share the YouTube video when the SMI had low social attraction and prototypicality.",

keywords = "Popularization of science and technology, Public engagement with science and technology, Science and media",

author = "Jiemin Looi and Ho, \{Shirley S.\}",

note = "Funding Information: This work is supported by the Singapore Ministry of Education Academic Research Tier 1 Fund [Grant Number: RG166/17] and the Nanyang Technological University Grant [M4082244]. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s). This article is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution — NonCommercial — NoDerivativeWorks 4.0 License",

year = "2023",

month = feb,

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doi = "10.22323/2.22010206",

language = "English",

volume = "22",

journal = "Journal of Science Communication",

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AU - Ho, Shirley S.

N1 - Funding Information: This work is supported by the Singapore Ministry of Education Academic Research Tier 1 Fund [Grant Number: RG166/17] and the Nanyang Technological University Grant [M4082244]. Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s). This article is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution — NonCommercial — NoDerivativeWorks 4.0 License

PY - 2023/2/8

Y1 - 2023/2/8

N2 - An online experiment involving 251 Singaporeans assessed how social media influencers' (SMIs) prototypicality (i.e., embodiment of group attitudes) and social attraction affected their popularization of nuclear energy development. Participants exposed to a SMI with high prototypicality perceived the YouTube video more favorably, displayed greater intention to share the YouTube video, and possessed greater attitude intensity toward nuclear energy development. Participants displayed greater intention to share the YouTube video when the SMI had high social attraction and possessed moderate to high prototypicality. Conversely, participants displayed less intention to share the YouTube video when the SMI had low social attraction and prototypicality.

AB - An online experiment involving 251 Singaporeans assessed how social media influencers' (SMIs) prototypicality (i.e., embodiment of group attitudes) and social attraction affected their popularization of nuclear energy development. Participants exposed to a SMI with high prototypicality perceived the YouTube video more favorably, displayed greater intention to share the YouTube video, and possessed greater attitude intensity toward nuclear energy development. Participants displayed greater intention to share the YouTube video when the SMI had high social attraction and possessed moderate to high prototypicality. Conversely, participants displayed less intention to share the YouTube video when the SMI had low social attraction and prototypicality.

KW - Popularization of science and technology

KW - Public engagement with science and technology

KW - Science and media

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85150852450

U2 - 10.22323/2.22010206

DO - 10.22323/2.22010206

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1824-2049

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IS - 1

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ER -

Spokespersons for science: examining social media influencers' popularization of controversial technologies on YouTube

Abstract

UN SDGs

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