| Abstract: |
We introduce Susceptibility to Online Social Influence (SOSI) as a disposition
reflecting users’ tendencies to seek information from others to reduce
uncertainty and to conform to the expectations of others on social media to
gain approval, enhance self-image, or avoid social disapproval. Across nine
studies with 3, 075 participants from the US, China, Mexico, and the UK, we
developed a robust, reliable scale to measure SOSI. Our research reveals that
self-esteem is an antecedent to SOSI, while excessive social media use is a
consequence. Furthermore, we identified social media user profiles based on
SOSI’s dimensions. The informative dimension of SOSI also shapes how users
respond to posts from different sources (e.g., known vs. unknown). Overall,
the SOSI scale provides both a conceptual framework and a practical tool for
examining how social influence shapes social media use. By offering a more
accurate method for identifying user dispositions than traditional offline
scales, SOSI scale enhances insights into behaviors unique to social media. |