User Responses to Pro-Environmental Facebook Messages of Pride and Guilt
Abstract
Persuasive communication studies have examined the effects of emotional messages on pro-environmental behavioral intentions and behaviors. However, more research needs to focus on the importance of social media activities which can expand the range of campaign messages. By reviewing eWOM literature, the current study scrutinizes how exposure to a pro-environmental Facebook post carrying pride or guilt-framed messages affects Facebook activity intentions-liking, sharing, and commenting on the post-and pro-environmental behavioral intentions. Also, empathy as an internal factor is examined to verify its role in eliciting pride and guilt. The findings show that satisfaction elicited by exposure to a pro-environmental message positively predicts the intentions of all Facebook activities and pro-environmental behaviors. However, feeling guilty does not predict preferences to like and share the post. In addition, empathy is positively linked with both moral emotions. These results indicate that positive moral emotions could be more effective than negative moral emotions in enhancing the virality of pro-environmental messages. A practical recommendation would be to create campaign messages inducing positive moral emotions that encourage users to actively share the notes to meet their desire to enhance self-presentation on social media.
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International Journal of Marketing, Communication and New Media
ISSN: 2182-9306
DOI: 10.54663/2182-9306
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