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Digital Social Norm Enforcement: Online Firestorms in Social Media
Katja Rost1, Lea Stahel1, Bruno S Frey2
1Institute of Sociology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Plos One
|June 18, 2016
Summary
Public figures face online aggression, or "online firestorms," on social media. Contrary to popular belief, this study finds non-anonymous individuals are more aggressive during these events.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Communication Studies
- Digital Sociology
Background:
- Public figures increasingly face severe backlash on social media, termed 'online firestorms.'
- Existing research often posits online anonymity as a primary driver of aggressive online behavior.
- Understanding the social dynamics behind online aggression is crucial for public discourse.
Purpose of the Study:
- To apply social norm theory to explain online aggression in socio-political contexts.
- To challenge the assumption that online anonymity is the main cause of online aggression.
- To investigate factors influencing aggressive behavior during online firestorms.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 532,197 comments across 1,612 online petitions on a major social media platform.
- Longitudinal study conducted over a three-year period.
- Examination of online aggression within socio-political discussions.
Main Results:
- Non-anonymous individuals exhibited greater aggression than anonymous individuals during online firestorms.
- The presence of selective incentives amplified aggressive behavior.
- Intrinsic motivation of aggressors further reinforced aggressive tendencies.
Conclusions:
- Social norm theory provides a valuable framework for understanding online aggression.
- Online anonymity is not necessarily the principal factor driving aggression in online firestorms.
- Factors such as selective incentives and intrinsic motivation play significant roles in online aggressive behavior.
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