Next PSIR Research Seminar: Wednesday, 8 October 2014, 1:10-2:00pm, AM103 Modular (Alan MacDiarmid Building) Dr. Hilde Coffé, Senior Lecturer, PSIR BA (Hons) Harry Chapman, MA-student, PSIR Changing Facebook profile pictures as part of a campaign: Who does it and why? Abstract: People changing their Facebook profile picture in support of campaigns has recently become relatively common, particularly among young people. The current study focuses on the characteristics of young people who change their profile picture and their motivations to do so. Using original data collected among less than 35 years old Facebook users (N=267), we find that besides the intensity of Facebook use, offline engagement in protest and boycotts and political parties has a significant and positive effect on the likelihood to change one’s profile picture. Hence, the opportunity for Facebook users to engage in politics by changing a profile picture to support a campaign seems to be seized more often by young people who are politically engaged offline than by those who are not. Among those who change their profile picture, raising awareness seems to be the primary motivation to do so. Identity formation is also a crucial motivation, in particular for profile pictures changes to support a political party and the marriage equality campaign.
Posted on: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 01:53:57 +0000