Facebook Influence among Incoming College Freshmen: Sticky Cues and Alcohol

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Media Psychology
• Substance Use Research

Background:

• Alcohol consumption is prevalent and socially desirable among college students.
• Problematic drinking behaviors are a significant concern within this demographic.
• Social media platforms like Facebook play a role in shaping social norms and behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how different types of information on a Facebook profile influence college students' likelihood to drink alcohol.
• To examine the impact of drinking-related versus pro-social content on social media.
• To understand the role of online impression formation in interpersonal communication.

Main Methods:

• Conducted telephone interviews with 338 incoming college freshmen from two large universities.
• Utilized a vignette methodology presenting hypothetical Facebook profiles with varying content (wall-posts, pictures, status updates).
• Assessed participants' intention to drink alcohol with the depicted student.

Main Results:

• Drinking-related wall-posts had the strongest influence on participants' intention to drink.
• Pictures showing drinking-related content were more influential than status updates.
• The findings support the concept of "sticky cues" in online impression formation.

Conclusions:

• Virtual cues on social media, particularly wall-posts, significantly impact college students' drinking intentions.
• Online impression formation patterns are reinforced by social media content.
• These findings suggest that social media content is becoming ingrained in interpersonal communication and social norms.