Amplify or Suppress the Inspiration? Comment Valence Influences the Reception of Inspirational COVID-19 Videos

• Published in: Psychology of popular media 2022-07, Vol.11 (3), p.299-304
• Main Authors: Liao, Jia, Zhang, Bingbing, Raney, Arthur A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Affective Valence; Attitudes; COVID-19; Digital Video; Female; Human; Intention; Male; Mass Media; Negative Emotions; Pandemics; Personality; Prosocial Behavior; Social Norms
• ISSN: 2689-6567; 2689-6575
• DOI: 10.1037/ppm0000379

Can popular media play a role in inspiring and uplifting peoples' spirits during the COVID-19 pandemic? The current study extended existing positive media psychology research by exploring the positive effects of inspirational COVID-19 online videos on meaningful affect, norm perceptions, and prosocial intentions. It was also proposed that positive online comments would amplify beneficial outcomes. A survey experiment (n = 620) with a 2 (video type: inspirational vs. Noninspirational) × 3 (comment type: positive comments, negative comments, or no comments) between-subjects design examined impacts on norm perceptions of self-transcendent behaviors, meaningful affect, and prosocial intentions. Results showed that inspirational videos (vs. noninspirational ones) led to greater prosocial intentions, which were mediated by more positive norm perceptions and stronger meaningful affect. However, instead of an amplifying effect of positive comments, evidence emerged of a suppressing effect of negative comments. Participants who read negative comments (vs. positive comments or no comments) about inspirational content reported more negative norm perceptions, lower levels of meaningful affect, and less prosocial intentions. Also, the light triad personality did not moderate any of the observed effects. The study advances inspirational media research by demonstrating that the content itself is not solely responsible for observed effects but also other cues in the media environment (e.g., others' comments). In addition, it introduced norm perceptions as a potential underlying mechanism in positive media effects. Public Policy Relevance StatementInspirational online videos referencing COVID-19 helped to not only elicit positive emotions (e.g., the feeling of being touched and inspired) among individuals but also increase the norm perception that self-transcendent behaviors were favored by others, further leading to greater intentions to act in prosocial ways. However, such positive effects were dampened when the inspirational videos were accompanied by negative comments. The viewing of inspirational video content with accompanying positive comments can be an effective means for promoting mental health and social good.