#MeToo

Intersecting Gender, Race, User Identity, Social Judgment and Social Support

Authors

  • Yukyung Yang University of Connecticut
  • Carolyn A. Lin Department of Communication, University of Connecticut
  • Tai-Quan Peng Department of Communication, Michigan State University
  • Louvins Pierre Department of Communication, University of Connecticut

Keywords:

#MeToo, social identity, social judgment, social support, social movement

Abstract

This study examined the #MeToo movement by analyzing user comments on Twitter. The study tested an integrated framework of theories and constructs, including social identity, social judgment, and social support as well as race and gender. Findings suggest that social judgment differed between users with separate social identity. Specifically, users affiliated with news media were non-committal to the movement. Those who accepted the movement provided social support to victim-survivors more than those who rejected or remained non-committal. Female and White users were more accepting of the movement than male and gender/race unidentified users. More male users rejected the movement than gender-unidentified users. The findings have contributed to advancing social psychology theories as the basis for examining public response to a social movement. This study also improved our empirical understanding of how sociological, psychological and demographic intersectionality in society can help determine the success, failure or sustainability of a social movement.

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Published

2023-06-06