User Engagement in Public Discourse on Genetically Modified Organisms: The Role of Opinion Leaders on Social Media. Issue 6 (December 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xu, Qian; Yu, Nan; Song, Yunya
• Is Part Of: Science communication. Volume 40:Issue 6(2018)
• Page Start: 691
• Page End: 717
• Publication Date: 2018-12
• Subjects: genetically modified organism -- user engagement -- opinion leader -- social media -- Weibo; Social sciences -- Periodicals; Knowledge, Sociology of -- Periodicals; Communication in science -- Periodicals; Communication of technical information -- Periodicals; Communication in medicine -- Periodicals; Information scientifique -- Périodiques; Information technique -- Périodiques; Communication en sciences sociales -- Périodiques; Communication en médecine -- Périodiques; 300.14
• DOI: 10.1177/1075547018806526
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1075-5470

Abstract

This study adopted a quantitative content analysis to examine how source attributes of opinion leaders and their message framing influenced user engagement in the public discourse of genetically modified organism (GMO) on Chinese social media. The findings showed that different source attributes and message frames used by opinion leaders varied in their respective influences on three dimensions of user engagement—reposts, comments, and likes. The attribute of account verification only predicted surface-level engagement (i.e., liking), whereas account type significantly influenced in-depth engagement (i.e., reposting and commenting). The fact, opportunity, pro-GMO, and international frames positively predicted user engagement.