I spy with my little eye

Author(s)

Sofie Vranken, Jörg Matthes, Kaitlin Fitzgerald, Kathleen Beullens

Abstract

Social media users are frequently exposed to alcohol images on Instagram, which in turn influences their own alcohol behaviors. Yet, it is unclear what factors drive attention to alcohol cues. In an eye-tracking study (N = 108; M

_age = 16.54), we examined adolescents' attention to Instagram Stories depending on: (a) the type of beverage depicted (beer vs water), (b) the character-product interaction portrayed (CPI: peers in images shown consuming [high CPI] vs holding beverages [low CPI]) and, (c) participant's own susceptibility (high vs low-risk alcohol drinker). Our results illustrated that adolescents allocated an equal amount of attention to beer and water depicted in Instagram images. Furthermore, they devoted more attention to Instagram images wherein peers were shown consuming water and beer (high CPI) compared to those wherein peers were holding these beverages (low CPI). Surprisingly, high-risk alcohol drinkers were more responsive to both beer and water cues than low-risk drinkers. This was particularly the case for Instagram images with high CPI. These findings have implications for how health cues on Instagram are attended to and processed.

Organisation(s)

Department of Communication

External organisation(s)

Cornell University, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

Journal

Appetite

Volume

189

ISSN

0195-6663

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2023.107000

Publication date

10-2023

Peer reviewed

Yes

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

508007 Communication science

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Psychology, Nutrition and Dietetics

Portal url

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/170b240b-e72b-4ab8-88de-1804463ad481