Effectiveness of Facebook for Public Health Campaign: Perceived Persuasive Intent as a Mediator

Abstract

The present study focused on examining the effectiveness of SNS as a novel means of delivering health message relative to established mass media. Specifically, by measuring its effect on peoples perception of persuasion intention, the study aimed to examine communication channels effect on peoples attitude towards the message position and their intention to follow the advised health behavior. It was expected from past studies, that due to its possibility for interpersonal communication and its function as an informal social medium, that SNS will do better as a channel for persuasion (Park et al., 2011

Poter & Golan, 2010

Hanson et la., 2010). Also, because SNS is perceived for smaller audience, it will be considered less imposing and obstructive (Beniger, 1987). Using the elaboration likelihood model of persuasion (ELM) by Petty and Cacioppo (1986), two possible moderators were tested in this persuasion context: 1) health concern and 2) prior topic knowledge. It was suggested by the ELM that peoples initial level of interest and knowledge about the topic can affect the factors that determine persuasive effectiveness and both factors were expected to increase reliance on the message rather than the communication channel. Therefore, it was predicted that communication channel will have greater effect on persuasive outcomes when these factors are low. Two web-based experiments were conducted using Facebook and an online portal, Naver. With 132 participants, the first study presented a message specifying dental merits for chewing gum, and the second study (N = 394) incorporated a message on Low Carbo High Fat diet. Participants were randomly assigned to either the Facebook post or Naver article condition. After reading the message, presumably written by a health reporter, they were asked of their perception of persuasive intent of the message, attitude towards the advocated position and intention to follow the recommended behavior. Both in Study 1 and Study 2, no direct effect of the communication channels was found. It was only among those with high levels of health concern that the communication channel showed a significant effect on peoples perception of persuasive intent. Specifically, in both studies, people with a high level of health concern perceived Naver news articles to be higher in persuasive intent than the Facebook post but no such difference were found among those with moderate or low levels of health concern. Prior topic knowledge produced an insignificant moderating effect in both studies. Increased perceived persuasion intention lowered the tendency to agree with the message position and to follow the advised behavior. Overall, the present study exhibited that communication channel alone does not affect how people perceive a persuasive message and ultimately the persuasion outcome, but with high topic interest, communication channel indeed becomes a significant factor in persuasion with Facebook being a more effective channel than online news portal.