Facebook Influence among Incoming College Freshmen: Sticky Cues and Alcohol

Alcohol displays on Facebook are ever-present and can be socially desirable for college students. As problematic drinking is a concern for college students, this research sought to understand how different types of information on a Facebook page influence likelihood to drink. Telephone interviews were conducted with 338 incoming college freshmen from two large national universities. Data were obtained from a vignette prompt which presented a scenario in which a senior college student's Facebook profile displayed wall-posts, pictures, and status updates that were drinking-related or pro-social in nature. Participants were asked to report intention to drink alcohol with that student if together at a party. Findings supported the hypotheses: wall-posts were most influential (the stickiest), followed by pictures, followed by status updates. Findings provide additional empirical support for established online impression formation patterns, and additionally provide evidence that virtual cues are being ingrained as schema in interpersonal communication. These results are discussed in relation to the conception of "sticky cues" in impression formation.