The effect of Twitter on sports fans' information processing: an analysis of the controversial referee's decision in the 2012 London Olympic Games. (2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lee, Min Kyo; Ryu, Sangyoon; Clavio, Galen; Lovell, M. David; Lim, Choong Hoon; Pedersen, Paul M.
• Is Part Of: International journal of sport management and marketing. Volume 15:Number 3/4(2014)
• Page Start: 102
• Page End: 119
• Publication Date: 2014
• Subjects: user-generated content -- UGC -- Twitter -- effectiveness -- user sources -- source credibility -- source evaluation -- priming theory -- framing theory -- referees -- refereeing decisions -- social media -- experimental design -- sports fans -- information processing -- controvery -- controversial decisions -- London Olympics -- 2012 Olympic Games -- ANOVA -- cognition levels -- professionals -- non-professionals; Sports administration -- Periodicals; Sports -- Marketing -- Periodicals; 796.069
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1475-8962

Abstract

Although Twitter is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms in the sport industry, few studies have examined how Twitter messages influence sport fans' perception levels. To examine the effects of Twitter messages and user sources, a 2 (message valences: positive or negative toward the referee's decision) × 2 (user sources: professional or non-professional) between-subjects design was employed. The results of the analyses of variance (ANOVA) revealed that Twitter messages had significant effects on sport fans' information processing. However, there were no significant user source effects on source evaluation. Professional sport journalists and non-professional writers were perceived to be equally reliable and likeable. Moreover, sport fans' cognition levels were differently shaped by types of message. Induced attitudes by the messages were transferred to the related topics.