The effects of source credibility and content objectivity on pro‐environmental post engagement on social media: A case study of Chinese TikTok (Douyin)

• DOI: 10.1111/ajsp.70002
• Publication Date: 2025-02-05T05:34:06Z
• Authors: Zixiao Jiang; Bo Wang; Dawei Cheng; Fangyuan Lou; Ziao Wang
• Keywords: Objectivity (philosophy); Source credibility; Content (measure theory)

Abstract Social media has become a primary channel for disseminating environmental information aimed at raising pro‐environmental awareness. Post engagement plays crucial role in effective dissemination; therefore, environmentalists, government organizations and protection agencies are increasingly focusing on enhancing post social media. This study applies the heuristic‐systematic model to examine effects of source credibility—a heuristic cue—and content objectivity—a systematic cue—on engagement. Using 700 short videos from Chinese TikTok (Douyin) platform, we empirically tested proposed model. The results show that credibility positively influences engagement, whereas objectivity negatively impacts with more significant effect than credibility. Furthermore, this reveals weakens relationship between These findings provide empirical support attenuation model, demonstrating when cues exert opposing processing inhibits processing.