Association Between Online Social Influence and Corporal Punishment: An Experimental Study

• Published in: Child & adolescent social work journal 2020-04, Vol.37 (2), p.163-177
• Main Authors: Duong, Hue Trong, Van Nguyen, Long Thang, Vu, Hong Tien, Trinh, Anh Thuy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Attitudes; Behavior; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Clinical Psychology; Comments; Corporal punishment; Experts; Influence; Mass media; Mass media effects; Mass Media Use; Media coverage; News; News media; Perceptions; Personality and Social Psychology; Prevention; Psychology; Punishment; Ratings & rankings; Research design; Social Influences; Social norms; Sociology; Websites
• ISSN: 0738-0151; 1573-2797
• DOI: 10.1007/s10560-019-00632-9

Online news stories about child corporal punishment (CP) often receive news user comments that are incongruent with scientific reports and experts’ advice. Recent research suggests that comments and approval ratings on news websites can be sources of social influence that affects perceptions and behaviors. However, little research has investigated the influence of online comments and approval ratings on CP perceptions and behavior. Using the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction, this study employed a 2 (comments: congruent vs. incongruent) × 2 (approval ratings: low vs. high) randomized between-subject experimental design to examine the effect of online comments and approval ratings on intentions to use CP and support for CP prevention policy ( N  = 458). Findings indicated that while comments exerted an effect on perceptions of CP, approval ratings did not. Specifically, compared to participants who viewed congruent comments, those who viewed incongruent comments reported higher injunctive norms ( β  = .94, 95% CI [.72, 1.14]), higher descriptive norms ( β  = .33, 95% CI [.17, .49]), and greater favorable attitudes toward CP ( β  = .37, 95% CI [.21, 53]). The results of the mediation analyses demonstrated that incongruent comments indirectly increase intentions to use CP via injunctive norms ( β  = .14, 95% CI [.04, .25]) and attitudes ( β  = .30, 95% CI [.18, .45]). These comments were also found to decrease support for CP prevention policy via injunctive norms ( β  = − .10, 95% CI [− .20, − .01]) and attitudes ( β  = − .18, 95% CI [− .28, − .11]). The findings have implications for research and interventions using mass media to convey CP prevention messages.