Purpose

Dealing with online rumors or fake information on social media is growing in importance. Most academic research on online rumors has approached the issue from a quantitative modeling perspective. Less attention has been paid to the psychological mechanisms accounting for online rumor transmission behavior on the individual level. Drawing from the theory of stimulus–organism–response, this study aims to explore the nature of online rumors and investigate how the informational characteristics of online rumors are processed through the mediation of psychological variables to promote online rumor forwarding.

Design/methodology/approach

An experimental approach to this issue was taken; the researchers investigated how the informational characteristics of online rumors and the psychological mediators promote online rumor transmission.

Findings

Four information characteristics (sense-making, funniness, dreadfulness and personal relevance) and three psychological motivators (fact-finding, relationship enhancement and self-enhancement) promote online rumor-forwarding behavior.

Originality/value

Because any online rumor transmitted on social media can go viral, companies may eventually encounter social media-driven crises. Thus, understanding what drives rumor-forwarding behavior can help marketers mitigate and counter online rumors.

中文翻译：

---

人们为什么在社交媒体上散播谣言：开发和验证在线谣言传播的多属性模型

目的

处理社交媒体上的在线谣言或虚假信息变得越来越重要。大多数关于在线谣言的学术研究都是从定量建模的角度来解决这个问题的。在个人层面上对在线谣言传播行为的心理机制关注较少。本研究借鉴刺激-机体-反应理论，探讨网络谣言的本质，探讨网络谣言的信息特征如何通过心理变量的中介作用，促进网络谣言的传播。

设计/方法/方法

对这个问题采取了一种实验方法；研究人员调查了网络谣言的信息特征和心理中介如何促进网络谣言传播。

发现

四种信息特征（有意义、有趣、可怕和个人相关性）和三种心理动机（事实发现、关系增强和自我增强）促进网络谣言转发行为。

原创性/价值

由于在社交媒体上传播的任何在线谣言都可能传播开来，因此公司最终可能会遇到社交媒体驱动的危机。因此，了解是什么推动了谣言转发行为，可以帮助营销人员减轻和反击在线谣言。