Are You Not Entertained? Examining the Effect of Confederate Valence and Social Media Sentiment on Viewers’ Comedy Enjoyment and Bandwagon Perception

• In Event: Social Influence on Media Use and Effects (TOP PAPER ENTRY)

Abstract

A mixed factorial experiment examined the effect of co-viewer response and social media sentiment on viewers’ program enjoyment and bandwagon perception. Participants watched two television comedy programs, one of which displayed a mock feed of positive social media comments. In addition, the presence of a confederate was randomly assigned who either exhibited positive or negative feedback during each clip. Participants who watched the program with a mirthful confederate were more likely to perceive that the other participant enjoyed the program than participants who watched with a confederate who exhibited negative program responses. In addition, our results suggest that the effects of social media sentiment on program enjoyment and bandwagon perception are moderated by 1) the valence of co-viewer response and 2) by viewers’ prior exposure to the attitude object. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings for the study of social television are discussed.

Authors

• Thomas Franklin Waddell, Penn State

• Erica Bailey, Pennsylvania State University