University of Twente Student Theses
Incentivizing Emotions Online: Understanding the role of digital emotional labor and digital emotional contagion on misinformation and disinformation in TikTok
Prameswari, Galuh (2024) Incentivizing Emotions Online: Understanding the role of digital emotional labor and digital emotional contagion on misinformation and disinformation in TikTok.
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| Abstract: | Purpose: Misinformation and disinformation are major problems on social media, especially in TikTok. The platform offers engaging audio-visual content that makes information even more appealing for its users. Reaction buttons such as comments or likes are used to trigger users' emotional responses, which further assists the platform in predicting the users' content preferences. As a result, emotions become vital in the platform's operation. This research explores the concept of digital emotional labor, where users navigate their emotions when exposed to misinformation and disinformation, and analyses the contagious effect of the emotional display under the framework of digital emotional contagion. Methods: The research's primary method is content analysis with a dual approach: quantitative, to assess the presence and intensity of emotions as the degree of digital emotional labor, and qualitative, to determine the characteristics of digital emotional contagion. Findings: Digital emotional labor is present in comments with positive, negative, or neutral sentiments, expressed through various engagement and disengagement strategies. In the digital emotional contagion analysis, social appraisal stands out as the most noticeable feature, followed by category activation. Conversely, mimicry is the least observed aspect found in this study. Conclusion: This research contributes to a further understanding of emotions as the driver of the circulation of misinformation and disinformation in social media through the concepts of digital emotional labor and digital emotional contagion. The primary finding lies in uncovering users' emotional display to false information and the contagious effect these emotions create, which is shown through the most visible characteristics of social appraisal and category activation. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 05 communication studies |
| Programme: | Communication Studies MSc (60713) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/103201 |
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