Beyond the "Like": How People Respond to Negative Posts on Facebook

Authors

Erin Spottswood, Portland State UniversityFollow
Donghee Yvette Wohn, NJIT

Published In

Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media

Document Type

Citation

Publication Date

6-2019

Abstract

New features of social network platforms afford users the ability to navigate potentially sensitive situations in ways they could not before. This study surveyed 260 Facebook users to uncover how people are using this social media platform’s new “reaction” buttons to respond to others’ posts about negative topics such as traumatic life situations, catastrophic current or past events, and interpersonal crises. Results suggest that users do not perceive the reaction buttons as adequate tools to help them interact with those that are close to them. Instead, these new paralinguistic digital affordances seem to help users engage in social grooming.

Rights

© 2019 Broadcast Education Association

Locate the Document

https://doi.org/10.1080/08838151.2019.1622936

DOI

10.1080/08838151.2019.1622936

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/29555

Citation Details

Spottswood, E., & Wohn, D. Y. (2019). Beyond the “Like”: How People Respond to Negative Posts on Facebook. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 63(2), 250–267.