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Main Authors: Zhao, Xinyan, Wong, Chau-Wai
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2406.15991
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author Zhao, Xinyan
Wong, Chau-Wai
author_facet Zhao, Xinyan
Wong, Chau-Wai
contents Digital technologies and social algorithms are revolutionizing the media landscape, altering how we select and consume health information. Extending the selectivity paradigm with research on social media engagement, the convergence perspective, and algorithmic impact, this study investigates how individuals' liked TikTok videos on various health-risk topics are associated with their vaping and drinking behaviors. Methodologically, we relied on data linkage to objectively measure selective engagement on social media, which involves combining survey self-reports with digital traces from TikTok interactions for the consented respondents (n = 166). A computational analysis of 13,724 health-related videos liked by these respondents from 2020 to 2023 was conducted. Our findings indicate that users who initially liked drinking-related content on TikTok are inclined to favor more of such videos over time, with their likes on smoking, drinking, and fruit and vegetable videos influencing their self-reported vaping and drinking behaviors. Our study highlights the methodological value of combining digital traces, computational analysis, and self-reported data for a more objective examination of social media consumption and engagement, as well as a more ecologically valid understanding of social media's behavioral impact.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2406_15991
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle TikTok Engagement Traces Over Time and Health Risky Behaviors: Combining Data Linkage and Computational Methods
Zhao, Xinyan
Wong, Chau-Wai
Computers and Society
Human-Computer Interaction
Digital technologies and social algorithms are revolutionizing the media landscape, altering how we select and consume health information. Extending the selectivity paradigm with research on social media engagement, the convergence perspective, and algorithmic impact, this study investigates how individuals' liked TikTok videos on various health-risk topics are associated with their vaping and drinking behaviors. Methodologically, we relied on data linkage to objectively measure selective engagement on social media, which involves combining survey self-reports with digital traces from TikTok interactions for the consented respondents (n = 166). A computational analysis of 13,724 health-related videos liked by these respondents from 2020 to 2023 was conducted. Our findings indicate that users who initially liked drinking-related content on TikTok are inclined to favor more of such videos over time, with their likes on smoking, drinking, and fruit and vegetable videos influencing their self-reported vaping and drinking behaviors. Our study highlights the methodological value of combining digital traces, computational analysis, and self-reported data for a more objective examination of social media consumption and engagement, as well as a more ecologically valid understanding of social media's behavioral impact.
title TikTok Engagement Traces Over Time and Health Risky Behaviors: Combining Data Linkage and Computational Methods
topic Computers and Society
Human-Computer Interaction
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2406.15991