Trust but verify: the effect of religiosity and social conformity on verification of content shared via social media

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to understand the patterns of content-sharing behaviour on major social media platforms by young adult users with reference to how these sharing patterns are influenced by two main sociocultural factors in their lives, religiosity and social conformity. Design/methodology/approach Online surveys including both the ATSCI test for social conformity as well as the Hoge test for religiosity were filled out by 590 participants. In-depth interviews with six participants representative of the same population were conducted to deepen analysis of key variables explored in the surveys. The design of the interviews was semi-structured, whereby the focus was to achieve a general overview of participants' intentions and habits regarding sharing information via social media. Findings The findings show a significant positive impact of religiosity and social conformity on users' sharing intention which, in turn, affects their inclination towards verifying the content they share. Social implications The authors' findings emphasise how users bear the onus of correcting the online information space. It paves the way for future research by recognising the value of independent corroboration amongst users. Originality/value This study lends key support to the growing body of research on social media use in societies in which shared religious and cultural values tend to clearly impact everyday social interaction.