Social noise: the influence of observers on social media information behavior
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-08-2021-0165 |
| Published date | 20 January 2022 |
| Date | 20 January 2022 |
| Pages | 1228-1248 |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Records management & preservation,Document management,Classification & cataloguing,Information behaviour & retrieval,Collection building & management,Scholarly communications/publishing,Information & knowledge management,Information management & governance,Information management,Information & communications technology,Internet |
| Author | Tara Zimmerman |
Social noise: the influence
of observers on social media
information behavior
Tara Zimmerman
School of Information, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to introduce the concept of social noise. Under the influence of social
noise, a social media user may adjust information behavior based on external cues, attempting to present
themselves in a more desirable way to increase their social capital.
Design/methodology/approach –A qualitative study informed by an ethnographic approach was used to
examine social media information behavior. Participants were observed using Facebook, followed by semi-
structured interviews. Data analysis was theoretically grounded in thematic analysis but also adaptive to
observations in the data.
Findings –Four constructs of social noise were identified in the data. Identity curation emerged as the
overarching consideration for individuals. The constructs cultural commitments and relationship management
both had a strong presence within the data as well. The fourth construct, conflict management, was identified
as social media users decided how to respond to individuals or information with which they did not agree.
Originality/value –This study reveals that social media users’awareness of observation by others does
impact their information behavior. Efforts to craft a personal reputation, build or maintain relationships,
pursue importantcommitments and manage conflict all influence the observable information behavior of social
media users. As a result, observable social media information behavior may not be an accurate reflection of an
individual’s true thoughts and beliefs.
Keywords Information behavior, Social media, Information theory, Information science, Communications,
Social sciences
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Social media plays an increasingly powerful role in our culture, yet its impact on information
behavior is not fully understood. No longer simply a medium for personal and social
connections, social media platforms play a key role in marketing and communication for
almost every business, political campaign, religion and social organization, not to mention
individual users. Whereas people traditionally relied on newspapers, radio or television news
to keep them aware of important events, today a large segment of the population learn about
local, national and international happenings online from innumerable, often unfamiliar,
sources. As people encounter unprecedented amounts of information, they must determine
each item’s reliability and value, often without understanding how to do so. This work
addresses these unique issues by viewing social media communication and information
behavior through the lens of Claude Shannon’s (1948) mathematical model of communication
and Bandura’s (1986,1994,1997,2001) social cognitive theory.
As social media, online relationships and perceived social expectations on platforms such
as Facebook play a greater role in people’s lives, a new phenomenon has emerged. Building
upon prior theories, I use the term “social noise,”to describe this phenomenon. I define social
noise as the influence of personal and relational factors on information received via social
JD
78,6
1228
This work was supported by the National Science Foundation under grant number #2030859 to the
Computing Research Association for the CIFellows Project.
The author would like to thank her dissertation advisor, Dr. Suliman Hawamdeh, for his guidance
throughout this research.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/0022-0418.htm
Received 26 August 2021
Revised 29 December 2021
Accepted 30 December 2021
Journal of Documentation
Vol. 78 No. 6, 2022
pp. 1228-1248
© Emerald Publishing Limited
0022-0418
DOI 10.1108/JD-08-2021-0165
media, which can confuse, distort or even change the intended message. Under the influence
of social noise, a user may temper communication based on external cues regarding what
behavior is acceptable or desirable, consciously or unconsciously attempting to present
themselves in a more desirable way to increase their social capital. Traditional
communication and information behavior models do not account for this social factor, and
investigating this new phenomenon is key to unraveling how it affects information behavior.
This paper examines the overarching question of how personal and environmental
considerations can cause social media users to adjust their information behavior on social
media. The research question examined here is: How does awareness of observation by others
impact the information behavior of social media users?
This paper begins with a review of the relevant literature on social media communication
and information behavior. In the next section, I discuss Claude Shannon’s traditional
communication theory and Alfred Bandura’s social cognitive theory. Then, I introduce the
social noise conceptual model, integrating the work of both Shannon and Bandura, and
outline the four proposed constructs of the new model. Next, I explain the methodology of this
study and, in the following section, give details of the results. Finally, I discuss the outcomes
of the study, including implications, limitations and future direction.
Background
This section highlights the most relevant academic studies and literature on social media
communication and information behavior, focusing on social and personal factors that
influence users. I then review traditional communication theory and consider it within this
context.
Social media communication and information behavior
Social media communication. Today people increasingly express themselves through the use
of social media, communicating ideas, pictures, comments and even scholarly research
(Alshahrani and Pennington, 2018). Social engagement via Facebook is purposeful and used
to generate social capital, a term used to describe resources personally available to someone
via their social network (Bourdieu, 1986). Social capital is derived from personal relationships
and is shaped by multiple dimensions, such as the hierarchy of the social network, shared
culture, trust and reliability (Costello, 2017). For the user, indicating personal reactions to
others’information provides social support, affirms connections and can affect social status
(Gan, 2017;Hayes et al., 2016;Kim, 2014;Sumner et al., 2018). This simple capability “serves
an important means for interpersonal relational management and scanning public opinions
and sentiments collectively”(Shao and Kwon, 2019, p. 11). Su and Chan (2017) found that
seemingly superficial interactions create social bonds by demonstrating the sender is
thinking about the receiver. These actions also foster social connectedness when face-to-face
relationships can be difficult or even impossible (Abeele et al., 2018). Social media use is
restructuring society by changing the everyday information behavior of billions of people
(Abeele et al., 2018). Social media has become a powerful force in everyday life, affecting
information diffusion, opinion formation and even voting preferences (Lymperopoulos and
Lekakos, 2013).
Social media and relationships. People use Facebook interactions to align themselves with
valued individuals, organizations and belief systems (Valenzuela et al., 2009). Frequent social
media users have a strong sense of identification with their social network (Warner-
Søderholm et al., 2018). These users tend to believe that information shared within the
network reflects common goals, values and beliefs (Warner-Søderholm et al., 2018). In this
way, Lymperopoulos and Lekakos (2013) point out that users’opinions affect their
connections, and their connections, in turn, affect their opinions. This relational influence can
Social noise
1229
To continue reading
Request your trial