Does social media checking-in make me feel good about myself? The effects of influencer endorsement vs. virality on social media check-in intentions

• Main Author: Song, Yufeng
• Other Authors: Chen Lou
• Format: Thesis-Master by Research
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2022
• Subjects: Social sciences::Communication
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/161164
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Check-in behavior has become a form of selective self-presentation prevalent among the young generation. By posting check-in photos, users attempt to shape others’ perceptions of their images. Others’ endorsement is an important criterion for users to judge whether a place is worth checking in. What is not yet clear is the impact of others’ endorsement (i.e., influencer & other users) on their check-in behaviors. Drawing on self-enhancement and self-discrepancy theories, the study posits self-enhancement through strategic self-presentation as the significant mediator for checking-in places endorsed by influencers and/or other mass users. I conducted a 2 (influencer endorsement vs. non-influencer endorsement) x 2 (high vs. low virality) between-subjects online experiment (N = 218). Results revealed that influencer (vs. non-influencer) endorsement significantly increased check-in intentions. A significant interaction effect between influencer endorsement and virality was also found: The presence of influencer endorsement enhanced the check-in intentions only when the message had low virality, while the presence of non-influencer endorsement and low virality led to the lowest check-in intentions. The interaction effects were mediated by compensatory self-enhancement. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed.