Do You See Harm in Your Social Media Influencer Engagement? The Mechanism of Perceived Threat

Abstract

In the era of excessive social media usage, users' coping responses are shaped by their assessment of potential harm, known as perceived threat. This study explores the mechanism underlying perceived threat in followers' engagement with social media influencers. Based on the stimulus-organism-response framework, we examine the relationships between followers' following and interaction comprehensiveness, their cognitive (obsession) and affective (emotional attachment) engagement, and perceived threat, with the moderation of influencers' intimate disclosure. Findings from a survey of 250 followers indicate that following comprehensiveness increases obsession and emotional attachment related to influencer engagement, while the effect of interaction comprehensiveness is insignificant. Obsession positively influences perceived threat, which is negatively moderated by influencers' intimate disclosure. These results highlight the importance of following (rather than interaction) comprehensiveness and the cognitive (rather than emotional) facet in followers' threat assessment. The study contributes valuable insights for users, influencers, marketers, and researchers, in fostering healthy and responsible engagement practices on social media.