Emerging Adults’ Social Media Posts during Black Lives Matter 2020, Critical Consciousness, and System Justification

• In Event: Racism, Sexism, and Critical Consciousness in Adolescents’ and Emerging Adults’ Media Ecologies

Abstract

Background: In May 2020, an average of 3.7 million tweets per day circulated online that included #blacklivesmatter while millions of demonstrators—41% of whom were under the age of 30 —took to the streets to protest systemic racism (Pew Research, 2020). As a reaction to this movement, #alllivesmatter began circulating online, justifying the system and the status quo. Although some consider political expression on social media as “slacktivism,” previous research also shows that interacting with political causes and diverse political views online can promote adolescents’ involvement in social movements (Middaugh et al., 2017). However, little research has examined the relationship between young people’s political expression on social media and their beliefs, values, and actions over time. In this study, we investigated whether social media posting about #blacklivesmatter versus #alllivesmatter during 2020 was predictive of emerging adults’ critical consciousness and systemic justification in 2021 (Study 1) and 2022 (Study 2). We also examined whether audience engagement (greater likes and comments on posts) strengthened this relationship. Our reasoning was that the more that an individual shares a particular view in networked publics, the more they may be solidifying those beliefs and values as part of their identity.

Method: In Study 1, we surveyed students from two US colleges (N = 289; Mage = 20.08; 60.2% White; 63% female, 20% conservative). The online survey asks participants to log into their top two social media profiles, upload screenshots of their social media posts about #blacklivesmatter and #alllivesmatter in 2020, and report the number of posts they made regarding these issues. The survey also includes a critical consciousness measure (Diemer et al., 2017) with three subscales: 1) awareness of systemic inequalities, 2) egalitarian attitudes, and 3) socio-political participation and an economic system justification scale (Jost & Thompson, 2000). In Study 2, we surveyed a nationally representative sample of emerging adults through qualtrics (N = 519; Mage = 22.20; 38% White; 20.6% Black; 20.4% Asian; 21.0% Latine; 50% female; 50% conservative). Participants completed the same survey as the first study, but also reported how many likes, comments, and debates they received on each post.

Results: In study 1 regression analyses, only liberal political identification uniquely predicted awareness of inequalities; liberal identification and number of #blacklivesmatter posts each predicted decreased system justification; race (non-white) and gender (female) uniquely predicted critical action. In study 2, #blacklivesmatter posts were not associated with critical consciousness nor system justification; #alllivesmatter posts were negatively associated with awareness of inequalities and egalitarianism. Comments, likes, and debates were associated with critical consciousness and system justification differently for conservative versus liberal youth. Current analyses are underway testing the moderating influence of audience engagement and sociodemographic and political group differences. Thus far, the study supports a “slacktivist” point of view on political posting during a period of civil unrest; however, the relationship may depend on other aspects of youths’ identities.

Authors

• Karinna Nazario, University of California - Santa Cruz
  Presenting Author

• Adriana Maria Manago, University of California - Santa Cruz

• Christina Shane-Simpson

• Anna Schwartz