Influencers and ‘brain building’ smart drugs: A content analysis of services and market activities of nootropic influencers over social media

IF 2.9 Q2 HOSPITALITY, LEISURE, SPORT & TOURISM Performance enhancement and health Pub Date : 2024-10-01 DOI:10.1016/j.peh.2024.100289
Luke Cox , Tim Piatkowski
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Nootropics are a range of substances used to improve memory, learning, cognition, and brain function. Based on their potential as enhancement drugs, nootropics have gained popularity in society and are extensively propagated via social media. However, there is currently no research focusing on the role that social media influencers play within the nootropic market.

Aim

This investigation sought to identify social media influencers who discuss nootropics, explore the services they offer and further investigate how this cohort influences their followers.

Method

Ethnographic observations were conducted of YouTube and Instagram over a period of six months and subjected to an iterative inductive approach. Drawing on the theory of social power, which is the ability of an individual or group to influence another person's psychological or behavioral aspects, we examine how influencers shape follower perceptions related to nootropics.

Results

Nootropic influencers discussed the use of various nootropics and provided a range of services, including discount codes to purchase nootropics, and sold protocols and user guides. To attract followers, gain content views, and generate income, nootropic influencers exert and rely upon informational, expert, reward, and referent power to gain traction online and influence their audience. This is primarily achieved through YouTube video discussions, where nootropic influencers share their insights and shape audience beliefs and behaviors.

Recommendations

Recognizing the health complications associated with nootropics, alongside the power held by nootropic influencers, we argue that harm reduction efforts ought to be developed to combat the increasing use of such substances.
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影响者与 "健脑 "智能药物:对社交媒体上营养学影响者的服务和市场活动的内容分析
背景诺托普尔是一系列用于改善记忆、学习、认知和大脑功能的物质。基于其作为增强药物的潜力,诺托普尔在社会上越来越受欢迎,并通过社交媒体广泛传播。本调查旨在确定讨论促智药的社交媒体影响者,探索他们所提供的服务,并进一步调查这些人如何影响他们的追随者。方法对 YouTube 和 Instagram 进行了为期六个月的人种学观察,并采用了迭代归纳法。社会权力是指个人或群体影响他人心理或行为方面的能力,我们借鉴了这一理论,研究了影响者如何塑造追随者对诺托托普药的看法。结果诺托托普药影响者讨论了各种诺托托普药的使用,并提供了一系列服务,包括购买诺托托普药的折扣码、销售协议和用户指南。为了吸引追随者、获得内容浏览量并创造收入,诺托派影响者发挥并依靠信息、专家、奖励和推荐的力量,在网上获得牵引力并影响受众。这主要是通过YouTube视频讨论来实现的,在视频讨论中,诺托派影响者分享他们的见解,并影响受众的信仰和行为。
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来源期刊
Performance enhancement and health
Performance enhancement and health Social Sciences-Health (social science)
CiteScore
4.70
自引率
0.00%
发文量
27
审稿时长
57 days
期刊最新文献
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