PDF attachment of Article:  How social media influence college students’ smoking attitudes

Article Citation

Yoo, M., Yang, J., & Cho, E. (2016). Computers in Human Behavior. How social media influence college students’ smoking attitudes and intentions, 64, 173-182. 
Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.06.061

What is the abstract of the article? 

Building on the influence of presumed influence (IPI) model, this study examines how smoking-related messages on social media influence college students’ smoking. We surveyed 366 college students from three U.S. Midwestern universities in 2012 and examined the effects of expression and reception of smoking-related messages on smoking using path analysis. We found that the expression and reception of prosmoking messages not only directly affected smoking but also had indirect effects on smoking through (1) perceived peer expression of prosmoking messages and (2) perceived peer smoking norms. For antismoking messages, only reception had a significant indirect influence on smoking through (1)perceived peer reception of antismoking messages and (2) perceived peer smoking norms. In conclusion, social media function as an effective communication channel for generating, sharing, receiving, and commenting on smoking-related content and are thus influential on college students’ smoking.

Was the study experimental or non-experimental? Explain, tell us what made that clear. 

The study was non-experimental because control variables can be manipulated in experimental studies, but in this study, participants were not manipulated or interfered with. The researchers wanted to find out how often people had received messages about smoking on social media over the past six months by simply asking, without intervening.

Was the research qualitative or quantitative? Again, explain.

In my understanding, this should belong to qualitative research. First of all, there were only 366 participants, which is a very small number and not suitable for quantitative research that relies on huge data. In addition, how exposure to ideas in social media influences one’s own thoughts is more like emotional identification, which can be observed but cannot be measured.

What was the population studied? Why do you say that?  What sample was used for this study? Explain.

Because this is a qualitative study, it means a study on a small, carefully selected sample. In this journal, the researcher only selected 366 students from the three universities for this survey, so these 366 students are the research sample.

What was the method of measurement?

This journal conducts this research by means of an online questionnaire survey. The researchers recruited potential participants with bulletin board notices, flyers, and class announcements, had them log on to a website to complete a questionnaire, and then carefully screened and studied the responses.

What was the method of analysis?

This journal’s method of analysis is called “path analysis”. In statistics, path analysis is used to describe the directed dependencies among a set of variables. This includes models equivalent to any form of multiple regression analysis, such as the “Simultaneous regression” proposed in this journal.

What was the conclusion of the study?

The study concludes that social media is indeed influential as an effective communication channel for generating, sharing, receiving, and commenting on social issues, including smoking. Advertisements or pictures published on social media can, directly and indirectly, affect college students’ attitudes and acceptance of smoking. More importantly, social media can enrich traditional one-to-one communication by realizing person-to-person or multi-person to multi-person communication. Using social media, college students can communicate about smoking habits, behaviors and attitudes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, regardless of accommodation or geographic location.

Why is this study useful to you? Explain in detail.

We live in a media age, and this topic is not only useful to me, but to everyone who is social. College students, in particular, have become active protagonists in social media and spend more time and energy on online social networking than other groups because of their quick acceptance and strong ability to use new media. Smoking is also a controversial social topic. We all know that smoking is harmful. However, after being rendered and spread by the media, smoking has become a cool thing in the eyes of many college students. The significance of this study is whether social media has the ability to influence the minds of college students who are not fully mature mentally and to what extent this influence is. In the eyes of college students, social media platforms are a window for them to make themselves known and get the latest information. However, if the content of information transmission and information processing are not well handled, the initial positioning of social media to promote the development of interpersonal communication will be distorted.

What would be the next logical step in extending this study?

Because social media has attracted a large number of college students and to influence them, I think the next step should be using the data obtained from the current research to see what kind of forms of social media more effectively influence college students’ attitude toward smoking, and public health practitioners should consider using this approach for college students to prevent and stop smoking intervention platform.