An Examination of the Impact of Astroturfing on Nationalism: A Persuasion Knowledge Perspective

One communication approach that lately has become more common is astroturfing, which has been more prominent since the proliferation of social media platforms. In this context, astroturfing is a fake grass-roots political campaign that aims to manipulate a certain audience. This exploratory research...

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Main Authors: Kenneth M. Henrie, Christian Gilde
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2019-01-01
Series:Social Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/8/2/38
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spelling doaj-89e37b01dba74d989bf776474f45de692020-11-25T01:59:03ZengMDPI AGSocial Sciences2076-07602019-01-01823810.3390/socsci8020038socsci8020038An Examination of the Impact of Astroturfing on Nationalism: A Persuasion Knowledge PerspectiveKenneth M. Henrie0Christian Gilde1Stiller School of Business, Champlain College, Burlington, VT 05401, USADepartment of Business and Technology, University of Montana Western, Dillon, MT 59725, USAOne communication approach that lately has become more common is astroturfing, which has been more prominent since the proliferation of social media platforms. In this context, astroturfing is a fake grass-roots political campaign that aims to manipulate a certain audience. This exploratory research examined how effective astroturfing is in mitigating citizens’ natural defenses against politically persuasive messages. An experimental method was used to examine the persuasiveness of social media messages related to coal energy in their ability to persuade citizens’, and increase their level of nationalism. The results suggest that citizens are more likely to be persuaded by an astroturfed message than people who are exposed to a non-astroturfed message, regardless of their political leanings. However, the messages were not successful in altering an individual’s nationalistic views at the moment of exposure. The authors discuss these findings and propose how in a long-term context, astroturfing is a dangerous addition to persuasive communication.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/8/2/38astroturfingpersuasion knowledgenationalismcoal energysocial media
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Kenneth M. Henrie
Christian Gilde
spellingShingle Kenneth M. Henrie
Christian Gilde
An Examination of the Impact of Astroturfing on Nationalism: A Persuasion Knowledge Perspective
Social Sciences
astroturfing
persuasion knowledge
nationalism
coal energy
social media
author_facet Kenneth M. Henrie
Christian Gilde
author_sort Kenneth M. Henrie
title An Examination of the Impact of Astroturfing on Nationalism: A Persuasion Knowledge Perspective
title_short An Examination of the Impact of Astroturfing on Nationalism: A Persuasion Knowledge Perspective
title_full An Examination of the Impact of Astroturfing on Nationalism: A Persuasion Knowledge Perspective
title_fullStr An Examination of the Impact of Astroturfing on Nationalism: A Persuasion Knowledge Perspective
title_full_unstemmed An Examination of the Impact of Astroturfing on Nationalism: A Persuasion Knowledge Perspective
title_sort examination of the impact of astroturfing on nationalism: a persuasion knowledge perspective
publisher MDPI AG
series Social Sciences
issn 2076-0760
publishDate 2019-01-01
description One communication approach that lately has become more common is astroturfing, which has been more prominent since the proliferation of social media platforms. In this context, astroturfing is a fake grass-roots political campaign that aims to manipulate a certain audience. This exploratory research examined how effective astroturfing is in mitigating citizens’ natural defenses against politically persuasive messages. An experimental method was used to examine the persuasiveness of social media messages related to coal energy in their ability to persuade citizens’, and increase their level of nationalism. The results suggest that citizens are more likely to be persuaded by an astroturfed message than people who are exposed to a non-astroturfed message, regardless of their political leanings. However, the messages were not successful in altering an individual’s nationalistic views at the moment of exposure. The authors discuss these findings and propose how in a long-term context, astroturfing is a dangerous addition to persuasive communication.
topic astroturfing
persuasion knowledge
nationalism
coal energy
social media
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/8/2/38
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