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Participating on Facebook: Does Generating and Posting Antialcohol Arguments Result in Self-Persuasion?

Fri, May 26, 14:00 to 15:15, Hilton San Diego Bayfront, Floor: 2, Indigo Ballroom C

Abstract

The primary aim of the experiment was to examine whether generating anti-alcohol arguments for Facebook (self-persuasion) is more persuasive than reading anti-alcohol arguments of others (direct persuasion). Additionally, the moderating role of public commitment was tested by having participants actually post (vs. not post) the arguments. Participants (n = 111) logged in to their own Facebook account and joined a group containing anti-alcohol arguments posted by others. Depending on the condition they either generated their own arguments with or without posting them, or only read those present in the group with or without posting that they had read them. Subsequently they attended a 30 minute ad libitum drinking session in dyads. The results indicate that Facebook as a platform for self-persuasion is promising to increase alcohol risk perception, but not to change immediate alcohol consumption. The findings are discussed in the light of possible reactance effects produced by the task.

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