Online Content Sharing Behavior: A Review on the Social Psychology

Perspective

Yessy Artanti

Faculty of Economics, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Indonesia

Doctoral Student at Faculty of Economics and Business, University Airlangga, Indonesia

Keywords: online content, sharing behavior, viral marketing, social psychology

Abstract: There is a need to understand and foster the determinants of sharing behavior in viral marketing based on the

perspective of social psychology. This paper develops an integrated model designed to review and explain

the relationship about online content that consists of humor, sex, and informative and motivational factors

on online content sharing behavior with audience size and situational factor as moderator variables based on

the perspective of social psychology. This study is planned using empirical research by collecting data

obtained from students who often use social media and tested using experimental methods and Moderated

Regression Analysis (MRA). Expected results and in accordance with some previous research, explained

that it is expected that there will be differences in behavior of students who often conduct online sharing

behavior in terms of the type of content that is most often shared. In addition, also expected that some

motivational factors influence online content sharing behavior and this influence expected to be greater with

the presence of situational factors and audience size. By review, the impacts of the type of contextual factors

and personal perceptions on knowledge sharing behavior, the integrated model better explains behavior than

other proposed models.

1 INTRODUCTION

The role of social media marketing and its function

as a marketing tool has been examined by several

researchers and practitioners in the field of

marketing (Kaplan and Haenlein, 2010; Valenzuela

et al.,. 2009; Boyd and Ellison, 2008). Even though

Zarkada and Polydorou (2013) said that remains a

challenge, integrating social media into marketing

communications strategy. On the other hand, social

media while also as a tool for studying the science of

information behavior through text content, images,

or video. According to Turban et al.,. (2011),

information behavior includes the user's behavior in

relation to information and information systems,

which includes information need generation

activities, creation, seeking, encountering, sharing,

giving, assessment, management, and use.

But as the development of technology with the

advent of the internet and social media, has created a

number of new concepts in the field of marketing

communications. Technological innovation and the

various opportunities have managed to perfect the

use of WOM being electronically the word of mouth

marketing (e-WOM) or known by the term viral

marketing. But in general, the mention of the term

viral marketing and e-WOM are often used

interchangeably. On the other hand, Modzelewski

and Wong (2000) argue the viral marketing is really

different from the word of mouth marketing (WOM)

in terms of the creation of the "viral" which is able

to recruit and reach out to as many people in the

network.

Review of some viral marketing theory points

out that consumer desire to build and reinforce

social relations is deciding to engage in information

sharing activities. Besides the viral marketing

success can be seen from the individual consumer's

desire to forward marketing message to hundreds of

other individual consumers. However, according to

Hayes and King (2014), it is still a little research that

discusses the role of the social process by which

individuals finally decided to do the activity of

online content sharing. Online content sharing has

become part of modern life such as submitting

articles in newspapers or magazines, sent a video to

YouTube, and post a review about a restaurant to a

friend. According to Allsop et al., (2007) more than

59% of the community regularly conducts

dissemination of online content.

Furthermore, although the transmission of social

is important, but it's still a little research that

highlight the types of online content such as what

causes the content to be more viral than other

content supported by the role of emotions and

Artanti, Y.

Online Content Sharing Behavior: A Review on the Social Psychology Perspective.

DOI: 10.5220/0008787402970305

In Proceedings of the 2nd International Research Conference on Economics and Business (IRCEB 2018), pages 297-305

ISBN: 978-989-758-428-2

297

motivational factors underlying disease. Some of the

research that examines how rare each online content

can flow in a network (Sundararajan et al., 2013).

When in fact, there are four important factors that

determine the success of viral marketing: (1)

content, that is the appeal of a message that makes it

easy to remember (Gladwell, 2002; Porter and

Golan, 2006; Berger and Milkman, 2011; Berger,

and Schwartz, 2011), (2) the social network structure

(Bampo et al.,. 2008), (3) the recipient of the

behavior characteristics and benefits received when

forwarding messages (Arndt, 1967), and (4) the

seeding strategy, which is the election of a consumer

the target chosen by the initiator in the viral

marketing. Research results, Berger and Milkman

(2009) qualitative researching about the transmission

of social, emotional, and virality on characteristics

of online content mentioned that content that is able

to evoke the passion or positive emotions was more

viral meaningful content versus negative emotions

while uncovering the reasons why someone is

willing to do/not willing to share content online.

In addition to content types, some studies have

shown progress in identifying the factors that

motivate consumers to conduct share, among other

things: emotion (Dobele et al., 2007; Eckler and

Bolls, 2011; Phelps et al., 2004), stimulating (Porter

and Golan, 2006), entertaining (Brown et al., 2010),

or have a utilitarian/hedonic content (Chiu et al.,

2007). More consumers are also motivated to

forward viral marketing for reasons of personal (Ho

and Dempsey, 2010), showed concern (altruism)

(Ho and Dempsey, 2010; Phelps et al., 2004) or

showing a sense of superior knowledge and as

opinion leadership (Lyons and Henderson, 2005).

Botha and Reyneke (2013) and Dobele et al., (2007)

examined the motivation of someone to send a

message back and how they process the content of

the message. Though Phelps et al., (2004), there is

still little understanding of the motivations, attitudes,

and behaviors which aspects influenced people to do

activities to share or send messages that are

received. The conceptual framework proposed by

Schutz (1966) provides an in-depth understanding of

the motivation of some variation that according to

Ho and Dempsey (2010) can be used to base the

forwarding behavior of online content. In particular,

Schutz (1966) provided three dimensions of

interpersonal behavior theories for which he named

with FIRO (Fundamental Interpersonal Relations

Orientation). Based on this theory, Schutz (1966)

said that the person felt tied to (engage) in

interpersonal communication because they are

motivated to express one or more of the three needs,

which include: inclusion (need to be part of a group

of/need for attention), affection (shows appreciation

and attention to other members), and control (the

need to exert power in the social environment).

However, Ho and Dempsey (2010) in his article

confirmed that how these motivations specifically to

online content forwarding behavior are still unclear.

Not only with regard to the motivation of

informing someone to share online content are

unclear, Barasch and Berger (2014) also suggest that

some researchers give less attention to how the

audience affects what people others are talking about

and the shared behavior. Studies on the influence of

the audience generally put more emphasis on the tie

strength in influencing communications (Brown and

Reingen, 1987; Frenzen and Nakamoto, 1993). In

addition, Frenzen and Nakamoto (1993) founded

that people will share with anyone when the value of

the information is reasonably weak and will be

hesitant to share information if the relationship is

weak bonding. Similarly, in the referral network,

strong ties are considered more influential and more

likely to be used as a source of information (Brown

and Reingen, 1987). Still a little research that

explained how audience size affects the behavior or

what others share. Communication model advanced

by McGuire (1985) focused on whether messages

sent will change the attitude of the recipient of the

message. Whereas Barasch and Berger (2014) more

emphasis on the transmission of the message,

analyze what types of messages that are sent, and

how the number of recipients has a role in the shared

behavior.

Finally in contrast to some previous research that

put more emphasis on the shared behavior in the

context of corporate or commercial purposes. The

research was more emphasis on the social

psychology of individual factors in the field of viral

marketing by revealing the role of the motivational

factors in relation to the shared behavior on online

content by using audience size and situational

variable as moderation. As recognized by Botha and

Reyneke (2013) actually had been a lot of research

on viral marketing, but some experience a failure

due to a lack of understanding about what

contributions can be given of success through viral

campaigns. Thus Botha and Reyneke (2013) stated

that there is still little research on the motivation,

attitudes, and behaviors of people who forward

messages online that they received the previous.

2 MODEL AND HYPHOTHESES

2.1 Online Content

Pirouz et al., (2015) posited that the content contains

humor, amazing, and disgusting has been widely

discussed by several studies. More content with

IRCEB 2018 - 2nd INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH CONFERENCE ON ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS 2018

298

video concepts proved to be more able to maximize

the effect of emotion leading to viral (Berger and

Milkman, 2011). Content that includes

entertainment, information, and talent, relating to

trends or events, helping others, express personality,

communicate with others, are the main factors that

cause content to go viral (Izawa, 2010). In contrast

to Berger and Milkman (2011), Thompkins (2012)

said the term online content as message

characteristics. According to Thompkins (2012),

there are three types of factors that lead to successful

viral marketing, namely: message characteristics,

sender characteristics or message receiver, and

social network characteristics. In viral marketing,

content or message is said to be effective if the

message is able to uncover and eliminate clutter

indifference to sharing, forward, or pass-along

message. Research Golan and Zaidner (2008)

concluded that the content that is humor and sex

appeal is a tactic that is most commonly used in the

message viral, as well as the social visibility of a

message viral will encourage the process of

diffusion (Susarla et al., 2012). Previous studies

conducted by Severn et al., (1990) but in

conventional advertising content to explain the

effects of controversial sexual content on the

effectiveness of communication in the form of

messages of advertising and its influence on the

product and purchase intentions. Research results

conclude that the sexual content in advertising is

more preferable to the consumer whether male or

female. In addition, research Almeida (2016)

analyzed the effect of different types of online

content on a social networking site, Facebook to post

sharing behavior. These types of online content that

include: application, event, fun, information,

promotion and publicity, and service.

Hypotheses 1: There is a positive influence humor

appeals content on the online

content sharing behavior

Hypotheses 2: There is a positive influence on

sexual appeals content on the

online content sharing behavior

Hypotheses 3: There is a positive influence on

informative content on the online

content sharing behaviour.

2.2 The Motivational Factors

Besides the characteristics of a message or content,

individual consumers also have an important role in

the process of viral marketing. Based on several

studies, some of the personal characteristics of

individual consumers who are influential in the

process of viral marketing are: the personality of the

consumer (Chiu et al., 2007; Sun et al., 2006),

consumer demographics (Trusov et al., 2010), and

the motivation for sharing content (Phelps et al.,

2004). Most research on motivation in the context of

social media more emphasis on how people are

motivated to join the social media. Lin and Lu

(2011) observed that a person is motivated to use

social networking sites is to meet the self-

enjoyment, assume that the site is useful, and also

because there is social cohesion. People look and

behavior, share videos on YouTube, motivated

because of the element of entertainment,

interpersonal expression, looking for information.

Literature about content sharing are now widely

available and are strong enough to examine factors

affecting social and psychological behavior in social

media sharing. Oh and Syn (2015) categorize 10

(ten) a motivational factor that can explain the

behavior of sharing, namely: enjoyment, self-

efficacy, learning, personal gain, altruism, empathy,

interest in the community, social cohesion,

reputation, and reciprocity. On social media

Facebook, Almeida et al., (2016) identified that

social cohesion (social engagement), learning, and

altruism is a key driver in sharing behavior.

However, when a number of theories were proposed

to explain why people engage in interpersonal

communication, most studies have adopted the

conceptual framework proposed by Schutz (1966)

because it provided a useful framework for

integrating a wide range of potential underlying

motivations of online content delivery. In particular,

Schutz (1966) proposed a three-dimensional theory

of interpersonal behavior he called FIRO

(Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation).

Schultz (1966) suspect that the person is bound in

interpersonal communication because they are

motivated to express one or more of the three

interpersonal needs: inclusion (needs to be part of a

group / need for attention), affection (show

appreciation and concern for others), and control

(show the feeling of competition, achievement, and

influence, in the social environment of a person).

Nevertheless, how the dimensions of the

interpersonal behavior theory are related to the

forwarding behavior of online content is unclear.

Therefore Ho and Dempsey (2008) concluded some

of the literature to identify specifically the

motivations related to this in the context of three-

dimensional online.

Hypotheses 4: There is a significant positive

influence the motivational factors

on the online content sharing

behaviour

Online Content Sharing Behavior: A Review on the Social Psychology Perspective

299

2.3 Moderating effect

Based on some research, it is known that there are

four important factors that determine the success of

viral marketing: (1) the content, the appeal of a

message that makes it easy to remember (Gladwell,

2002; Porter and Golan, 2006; Berger and Milkman,

2011; Berger and Schwartz, 2011), (2) the structure

of social networks (Bampo et al., 2008), (3) the

receiver behavioral characteristics and the received

benefits when forwarding the message (Amdt,

1967), and (4) the seeding strategy , which is the

selection of target customers selected by the initiator

in viral marketing. Furthermore, Berger who

consistently worked on viral marketing, doing

research on how the audience size affects what

people share. Direct understanding of attentional

resources split between inward (toward the self) and

outward (toward others) (Barasch and Berger, 2014).

When people are more focused on themselves (self-

focused) they lacked the intention to share attention

with others (Chiou and Lee, 2013). In his research,

Barasch and Berger (2014) emphasized that the

audience size affects what people share is based on

two types of content, namely: narrowcasting and

broadcasting. Compared to narrowcasting,

broadcasting (the number of audiences more) more

motivating people to do the sharing. Although most

research has focused on the type of audience (for

example, the strong and weak ties) (Frenzen and

Nakamoto, 1993), and how it affects the number of

followers on social media posting frequency (Toubia

and Stephen, 2013),

Furthermore, at the end of the study by Berger

and Milkman (2014) suggested conducting more

research on how people do share in relation to

emotion moderated by situational factors.

Sometimes environmental influences also shape the

social transmission by generating specific topics that

are more acceptable at the time. (Berger and

Fitzsimons, 2008; Berger and Schwartz, 2011).

Hypotheses 5: Situational factors will moderate the

influence of motivational factors

on online content sharing behavior

Hypotheses 6: The audience size will moderate the

influence of motivational factors

on online content sharing behavior

Generally, the decline theories and hypotheses

formulation above can be described as below:

Further, figure 2 is generated a model of the

proposed research are trying to test the effect of

online content and motivational factors on online

sharing behavior by using situational factors and the

audience size as moderating variables.

3 METHODS

3.1 Sample and Procedure

This research is research in which cross-sectional

data collection of the sample only performed one

time only, or more precisely empirical data gathered

from each participant at a time (Malhotra, 2007).

The methods used in this research is quantitative.

Quantitative methods used in this research is the test

experiments to test hypothesis 1 to 3 and Moderated

Regression Analysis (MRA) to test the hypothesis of

4 to 6. Moderated Regression Analysis is the

analysis of the regression test the direct relationship

between the independent variable and the dependent

variable and interaction independent variable with

moderator variables on the dependent variable.

Moderator variable function here is can strengthen

or weaken precisely the relationship between the

dependent and independent variables. While the

IRCEB 2018 - 2nd INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH CONFERENCE ON ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS 2018

300

experimental tests implemented by manipulating

objects actively research and then observe the results

manipulations. Further, this research uses the

between-subject design, testing between groups who

have the real difference.

A major study carried out in the laboratory of

Universitas Negeri Surabaya, by disseminating a

questionnaire that varies according to the cells

examined. Filling the questionnaire conducted in

class after participants completed following the

lecture. Before it is given to the participant,

questionnaires have been scrambled in such a way

so that good researchers or participants cannot

choose a specific questionnaire. Unless this type of

questionnaire and stimulus in the questionnaire, each

participant received the same treatment. After all,

participants answered the questions of the

questionnaire and return it, participants were given

debriefing, i.e. the information that they have

participated in research experiments and what they

see in the stimulus and the questionnaire was

modifications made solely for research purposes.

Participants also were asked not to discuss the

contents of the research because the data retrieval

process will still take place. The stages in the

research described in figure 3.

4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Results

Based on the results of searches on perspective

theory which affects some research about social

media, there are 8 (eight) theory which is commonly

used in a discussion about social media, which

respectively include: cooperation theory, network

theory, social exchange theory, social capital theory,

social identity/conformity/influence/comparison

theory, theory of planned behavior/theory reason

action, theory acceptance model, and uses and

gratifications. Five of the eight theories of social

exchange theory, social

identity/conformity/influence/comparison theory,

theory of planned behavior/theory reason action,

theory acceptance model, and uses and gratifications

have original nature which is about social

psychology. But beginning in 2008 proved that

social psychology perspective turned out that

consists of five of the above theory are more widely

used in research about social media and otherwise

use or application cooperation theory, network

theory and social capital theory of continuous

decline since the year 2009. Social exchange theory

(social exchange theory) which is the most widely

used theories on research about social media,

provides a lens that is very useful to explain the

decision process in viral marketing because the

application This theory includes the following three

areas: (1) interpersonal relationships, (2) consumer-

brand relationship, and (3) content and information

sharing (Hayes et al., 2016). This study uses two of

the areas contained in the social exchange theory,

namely, interpersonal relationships and content.

Interpersonal relationships are the interpersonal

relationships that occur between two or more

individuals. Some researchers have discussed the

presence of psychological element behind a social

transmission through observations of why someone

does share about something (Berger, 2011; Berger

and Health, 2005; Berger and Milkman, 2012;

Berger, and Schwartz, 2011; Chen and Berger, 2013;

Frenzen and Nakamoto, 1993, De Angelis et al.,

2012).

The information sharing behavior could not be

removed from the activity of knowledge sharing.

However there are doubts among researchers about

the role of online knowledge sharing through social

interaction using social media (Ma and Chan, 2014).

Through his research, Ma and Chan (2014)

researching about motivations for online knowledge

sharing behavior which consists of perceived online

attachment motivation, perceived online relationship

commitment, and altruism. Phelps et al., (2004)

explains the steps share content online through

sample stages activities pass sing-along of an email,

which consists of four stages: (1) accept email

submissions, (2) the decision to open or delete the

message, (3) If you open a message, then decided

upon going on the activity of reading/decoding the

Online Content Sharing Behavior: A Review on the Social Psychology Perspective

301

message, and (4) a decision whether the forward

message to the other person. Share is an important

measurement in viral marketing success especially

on social networking sites and refers to a level where

users exchange, distribute, and receive content

(Kietzmann et al., 2012). In the form of social

relationships, sharing often involves the exchange of

information between people and content. In some

case, sharing behavior often associated with

relationships between people (Engestrom, 2001).

Some previous studies have examined the factors

that affect the behavior of sharing (passing) viral and

email messages that are commercial (Bruyn and

Lilien, 2008: Dobele et al., 2007: Phelps et al., 2004:

Porter and Golan, 2006). These studies have

identified some important factors that motivate

someone to do pass some messages in writing a

commercial and viral email, namely due to the social

advantages, amusement, and attachment to a friend.

Kramer et al., (2014) conducted a study that

proved the effect of social media against the

emotions of its users. Kramer et al., (2014) found

that when a person is exposed to a lot of social

media content which negatively worded, chances are

he'll post content which negatively worded will also

increase. Conversely, if someone more often

exposed to positive content, post positively worded

content will also grow. However, in reality, much of

the information content presented to the public now

tends to be negative, which contains anxiety,

violence, and moral destruction. This led to growing

number of depressions and the level of aggression in

society (Chaturvedi and Chander, 2010).

In research conducted by Muntinga et al., (2010)

mention that the behavior of the share is one

dimension of engagement along with other

dimensions, namely: likes and comments. But once

again the context used by Muntinga et al., (2011) is

the use of social media in the community of the

brand. In addition, the research of Pirouz et al.,

(2015) has mentioned that the content contains

humor, amazing, and disgusting has been widely

discussed by some of the research. More content

with the concept of the video turned out to be better

able to maximize the influence of emotion headed

into viral (Berger and Milkman, 2011). Content that

contains entertainment, information, and talents, in

touch with the trend or event, help others, expressing

personality, communicate with others, are the main

factors that lead content to be viral (Izawa, 2010).

In contrast to Berger and Milkman (2011),

Thompkins (2012) mentions the term online content

as the characteristics of the message. According to

him, there are three types of factors that led to the

success of viral marketing, namely: the message

characteristics, the message sender or recipient

characteristics, and social networks characteristics.

The research of the Golan and Zaidner (2008)

concludes, that the content is both humor and sex

appeal is the most commonly used tactics in the

message viral, and social visibility of a viral

message will encourage the process of diffusion

(Susarla et al., 2012). An earlier study conducted by

Severn et al., (1990) however in conventional

advertising content describes the effects of sexual

content in the form of communication effectiveness

against controversial advertising messages and its

effects on product and intent buy. The results of his

research concluded that sexual content in advertising

turned out to be preferred on the consumer either

male or female. In addition, the research of Almeida

(2016) stated the influence of the difference in the

types of online content from a social networking site

that is Facebook post behavior on sharing. Content

types include online application, event, fun,

information, pool, promotion and publicity, and

service. More specifically, Petrescu (2012) who

conduct research in conceptual and empirical

evidence on the influence of viral marketing on the

intention to buy, which one is from about advertising

appeals consisting of humor, sexual, and

informative, stating that humor is one of the types of

content are most often in the forward right because

at the humor contained very deep emotions.

Petrescu's argument (2012) this simultaneously

supports research conducted by Phelps et al.,.

(2004).

Motivation has become a research topic in social

media, particularly to explain why someone decided

to join and use social media. On social networking

sites such as Facebook, someone motivated due to

social ties (social connectivity) and communication

with his friend (Barker, 2009). Lin and Lu (2011)

observing that someone motivated to use social

networking sites to benefit self-enjoyment, benefit

from that site, and build a network. People see and

do share YouTube videos, information and funny

content, as motivated by an element of

entertainment, interpersonal expression, seek

information and build relationships (Hanson and

Haridakis, 2008). The motivation for using social

media is also very depending on the domain. In the

context of education, a social media is becoming

very popular in the teen age. Social media is useful

as a tool to improve student learning, searching for

ideas, and learning in the context of relations

between students and teachers (Mazer et al.,, 2007).

But in the work environment, the motivation for

wanting to establish rapport, useful, and a desire to

share personal or professional, is motivation-

motivation informing someone using social media

(DiMicco et al., 2008). But most research is focused

on informing motivation to join in social media.

Still, relatively little research focusing on motivation

IRCEB 2018 - 2nd INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH CONFERENCE ON ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS 2018

302

to share information or social support provided

through social media.

Most of the researches on motivation in the

context of social media a lot more emphasis on how

a person's motivation to join in social media. The

literature on content sharing are now widely

available and are strong enough to explain the

factors that affect social and psychological behavior

of sharing in social media. Oh and Syn (2015)

categorizes ten motivational factors capable of

explaining the behavior of sharing, namely:

enjoyment, self-efficacy, learning, personal gain,

altruism, empathy, community interest, social

attachment, reputation, and reciprocity. However,

when a number of the proposed theories to explain

why people engage in interpersonal communication,

most studies adopted the conceptual framework

proposed by Schutz (1966) as it provides a

framework useful for integrating the various

motivations that potentially underlie delivery of

online content. In particular, Schutz (1966) suggests

three dimensions of interpersonal behavior theory he

called FIRO (Fundamental Interpersonal Relations

Orientation). Schultz (1966) speculated that the man

bound in interpersonal communication because they

are motivated to express one or more of the three

needs of interpersonal: inclusion (needs to be part of

a group/need for attention), affection (shows

appreciation, and concern for others), and control

(shows the feeling of competing, achievers, and

affecting in an individual's social environment).

Nevertheless, how the dimensions of the

interpersonal behavior theory are associated with the

forwarding behavior of online content is unclear.

Therefore Ho and Dempsey (2008) summarize some

of the literatures to identify specifically the

motivations related to the three dimensions in the

context of online.

Based on researchers, it can be noted that there

are four important factors that determine the success

of viral marketing: (1) content, that is the appeal of a

message that makes it easy to remember (Gladwell,

2002; Porter and Golan, 2006; Berger and Milkman,

2011; Berger, and Schwartz, 2011), (2) the structure

of the social network (Bampo et al., 2008), (3) the

recipient of the behavior characteristics and benefits

received when forwarding messages (Amdt, 1967),

and (4) the seeding strategy, which is the election of

a consumer the target chosen by the initiator in the

viral marketing. Furthermore, Barasch and Berger

(2014) who consistently researching viral marketing,

doing research on how the audience size affects

what people share. Understanding of attentional

resources directly split between inward (toward the

self) and outward (toward others) (Barasch and

Berger, 2014). When people focus more on himself

(self-made focused) then their lack of intention to

share attention with others (Chiou and Lee, 2013). In

his research Barasch and Berger (2014) stressed that

the audience size affects what people share based on

two types of content: narrowcasting and

broadcasting. Compared to narrowcasting,

broadcasting (number of the audience much more) is

more motivating people to do the sharing. Although

most studies focus on the type of audience (e.g.,

strong and weak ties) (Frenzen and Nakamoto,

1993), and how the number of followers affect the

frequency of posts on social media (Toubia and

Stephen, 2013), but still very the research is rarely

tested how the audience size influence anyone to do

share.

4.2 Discussion

Information technology with the emergence of the

Internet has resulted in some new ideas and a

platform for communication. Not only dominated

the world of communication between companies and

consumers, between consumers can mutually

enhance the interaction and exchange of

information. The frequency of exchanging

information or online content sharing cannot be

separated from the emergence of a social media

phenomenon. Community activities decreased

television viewing as they are more diligent to

access the Internet, especially social media as a

communication tool and the media see the activity

more friends who join the social media. Teens and

adults, consumers prefer to access information

through the media along with the tight schedule of

work and other activities. Mangold and Faulds

(2009) revealed that social media is regarded as the

most important media in communicating messages

contained in integrated marketing communications.

The increasing use of social media globally resulted

in marketers and researchers acknowledge that

social media is the most effective tool because it is

durable, has a longer period of time and be able to

establish an affiliation between businesses and

potential customers globally (Tobin and Braziel,

2008). Similarly, Kietzmann et al., (2011),

supporting that social media is consistently involved

and play an important role in a marketing

communications company, community, and

communication between individuals. According to

Barnes (2010), social media become part of the

marketing strategy because of the nature of their

interactions (Kaplan and Haenlein, 2010),

One indicator of the success of online sharing

behavior is determined on the type of content.

Thompkins (2012) mentions the term online content

as message characteristics. According to Thompkins

(2012), there are three types of factors that lead to

Online Content Sharing Behavior: A Review on the Social Psychology Perspective

303

successful viral marketing: message characteristics,

characteristics of the sender or receiver of the

message, and social network characteristics. In viral

marketing, content or message is said to be effective

if the message is able to uncover and eliminate

clutter indifference to sharing, forward, or pass-

along message. More specifically, Petrescu (2012)

who did conceptual and empirical research on the

effect of viral marketing on the intention to buy,

where one variable is about advertising appeals

consisting of humor, sexual, and informative, states

that humor is one of the most frequent types of

content in a forward's because the humor contained a

very deep emotion. Arguments Petrescu (2012)

simultaneously supports research conducted by

Phelps et al., (2004).

Furthermore, to test hypothesis 1 related to

motivational factors, researchers use FIRO theory.

To use the traditional theory of FIRO (Schutz, 1966)

of the literature interpersonal communication as a

framework in this study, the researchers tested

whether the motivations hidden in a person

associated with interpersonal communication

relevant to be associated in the context of e-WOM.

Our research found that when the three core

dimensions of this FIRO be made into a single unit

that can significantly become predictors of e-WOM

or online content sharing behavior. The findings of

this study will not only further enhance our

understanding of the behavior of e-communication

of people in general,

Finally, the study was able to contribute

theoretically. The results of this study are expected

to define the profile of a young age psychographic

(students). Major findings are expected in this study

is in terms of interpersonal behavior of younger age

groups are characterized by aspects inclusion in

terms of ownership (need to belong), personal

growth, and affection (altruism). Motivational

factors of respondents are fairly high, especially in

the sense of having, recognized in a group, freedom

in determining the direction of life although it also

can not be separated from a sense of caring for

others. Individual motivations are what causes them

to be concerned with a friend who realized in the

form of share online content.

5 CONCLUSION

Several studies have shown advantages in the field

of marketing through the identification of market

mavens (Feick and Price, 1987, Laroche et al., 2003)

and many more of them for instance on the number

of consumers who are members of an online

business, and communication e-WOM, all of which

this has an important role in consumer decisions.

Moreover, the purpose of this study is to provide an

understanding of the importance of the motivations

that relate to the activities of forwarding or online

content sharing. The success of viral marketing not

only on how to attract someone to forward, but more

of it is to understand the reasons for what causes a

person to be willing to share information with

others.

6 RECOMMENDATION

Further research suggested doing more research on

how people do share in relation to the emotions that

are moderated by situational factors. Sometimes the

influence of environment also forms social

transmission with how to generate topic-specific

topics which are more acceptable then.

REFERENCES

Allsop, Dee T., Bryce R. Bassett, and James A.

Hoskins (2007), Word-of-Mouth Research:

Principles and Applications, Journal of

Advertising Research, 47, 388-411.

Almeida, C., Garcia, R. (2016). Economic

implications of nonlinear pricing kernels.

Management Science, forthcoming.

Arndt, J. (1967). The Role of Product-Related

Conversations in The Diffusion of A New

Product. Journal of Marketing Research, 4(3),

291–295.

Atherley, R. (2011). What does engagement mean to

your stakeholders? Retrieved Aug. 25, 2011 from

http://ahacreative.com/what-does-engagement-

mean-to-your-stakeholders/

Barger, P.B., and Grandey, A.A. (2006). Service

with a smile and encounter satisfaction:

Emotional contagion and appraisal mechanisms.

Academy of Management Journal, 49, 1229-

1238.

Barker, V. (2009). Older Adolescents' Motivations

for Social Network Site Use: The Influence of

Gender, Group Identity, and Collective Self-

Esteem. Cyber Psychology and Behavior, 12(2),

209-213.

Barnes, N. G. (2010). Tweeting And Blogging To

The Top How Do The Most Successful

Companies Use Social Media? Marketing

Research , 22(1), Spr, pp. 8-13.

Berger, Jonah. (2011). Arousal Increases Social

Transmission of Information. Psychological

Science. 22 (7): 891-893

IRCEB 2018 - 2nd INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH CONFERENCE ON ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS 2018

304

Berger, Jonah. dan Schwartz, Eric. (2011). What

Drives Immediate and Ongoing Word-of-Mouth?

Journal of Marketing Research, 48(October),

869–80.

Berger, Jonah dan Milkman, K. L. (2009). Social

Transmission, Emotion, and The Virality Of

Online Content

Berger, Jonah. dan Milkman, K. L. (2012). What

Makes Online Content Viral. Journal of

Marketing Research, 49(2), 192–205

Berger, Jonah. dan Raghuram Iyengar (2013).

Communication Channels and Word of Mouth:

How the Medium Shapes the Message. Journal

of Consumer Research. Vol. 40.

Berger, Jonah. dan Fitzsimons, Grainne. 2008. Dogs

on the Street, Pumas on Your Feet: How Cues in

the Environment Influence product Evaluation

and Choice. Journal of Marketing Research, Vol.

XLV (February), 1-14

Botha, E. and Reyneke, M. (2013). To share or not

to share: The role of content and emotion in viral

marketing. Journal of Public Affairs, 13(2),

pp.160–171.

Boyd, D., and Ellison, N. (2008). Social Network

Sites: Definition, History, And Scholarship.

Journal of Computer Mediated Communication,

13 (1), 210—230.

Brown, M. R., Bhadury, R. K., and Pope, N. K. L.

(2010). The Impact Of Comedic Violence On

Viral Advertising Effectiveness. Journal of

Advertising, 39(1), 49–66.

Camarero, C., and San José, R. (2011). Social and

Attitudinal Determinants of Viral Marketing

Dynamics. Computers in Human Behavior,

27(6), 2292–2300.

Chen, Zoey dan Jonah Berger (2013). When, Why,

and How Controversy Causes Conversation.

Journal of Consumer Research. Hal. 1-33.

Chevalier, J. A. and Mayzlin, D. (2006). The Effect

of Word of Mouth on Sales: Online Book

Reviews. Journal of Marketing Research, 43(3),

Chiu, H.-C., Y.-C. Hsieh, Y.-H. Kao, and M. Lee.

(2007). The Determinants of Email Receivers’

Disseminating Behaviors on the Internet. Journal

of Advertising Research 47, 4: 524–534.

Online Content Sharing Behavior: A Review on the Social Psychology Perspective

305