Date
4-17-2024
Department
School of Communication and the Arts
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Chair
Robert Mott
Keywords
cultivation analysis, cultivation theory, SNS cultivation, social media use
Disciplines
Communication | Film and Media Studies
Recommended Citation
Senne, Joshua A., "Applying Cultivation Theory in Determining the Relationship Between SNS Use and Optimism/Pessimism of Adults in the United States and the Moderating/Mediating Effects of Platform, Content, and Connections on This Relationship" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 5396.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5396
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between degree of social networking site (SNS) use and optimism/pessimism means scores from the optimism/pessimism instrument (OPI) for SNS users who are age 18+ and live in the United States. The purpose of the study was also to determine how the main type of platform used, main type of content viewed, and number of connections mediated and/or moderated this relationship. The research problem was that SNSs are becoming a prominent form of media and little research has examined how the degree of exposure to SNSs cultivate psychological states, especially in relation to the mediating or moderating effects of platform, content, and number of connections. A correlational, quantitative research design was used with a cross-sectional, analytical survey to gather data on user demographics, SNS use data, and OPI mean scores. A total of 6 research questions were asked including 16 hypotheses that were tested. Inferential statistics were used to test the assumptions of regression, and multiple linear regression, ANOVA, stepwise linear regression, SPSS Process, and SmartPLS4 were used to determine the relationships between variables and mediating/moderating effects therein. Results demonstrated that there is a significant positive linear relationship between degree of SNS use and optimism/pessimism means scores, wherein optimism is negatively partially mediated by content and positively partially mediated by number of connections, and pessimism is positively partially mediated by content. Future studies should further examine the mediating effects of specific types of content on user attitudes. The implications of the study showed a potential need for regulating certain types of content to counteract the negative mediating effect content has on optimism and positive mediating effect content has on pessimism based on average hours per day used.
