When does individuals’ willingness to speak out increase on social media? Perceived social support and perceived power/control

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Abstract In this study, we investigated the effects of opinion congruency on individuals’ willingness to speak out on Social Media. We tested the mediation effect of perceived social support, influencing the sense of power/control and in turn affecting their willingness to share opinions on their personal Social Networking Sites. We found that people are more willing to speak out on social media when their perceived social support enhances perceived sense of power/control through their opinion congruency with others’ online comments. The findings suggest that individuals’ perceived sense of power serves as an underlying mechanism that accounts for why people share their opinions in a social media setting. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed in the study.