“To Respond or not to Respond, that is the Question”: The Decision-Making Process of Providing Social Support to Distressed Posters on Facebook

Abstract

The aim of this study is to understand whether, why, and under what conditions young adults respond to distressed posts on social networking sites (SNSs). Semi-structured interviews with 27 participants revealed a wide range of salient factors that influenced participants’ likelihood of responding to distressed posts. By identifying the factors and mapping the conditions under which they are operational, we posit a conceptual framework useful in understanding key features of the decision-making process participants use to decide whether and how to respond to distressed SNS posts. Results suggest that relationship closeness is the first and most significant determinant of likelihood to respond. When relational closeness was high, the responses were likely to be direct and immediate. In the absence of relational closeness between respondent and poster, likelihood of responding depended on (1) perceived acuity and seriousness of content, (2) consistency in posting patterns, (3) perceived capacity to provide efficacious support, (4) history of reciprocity, (5) perceived resonance with poster or posted content, (6) perceived motivations of the poster, and (7) perceptions of other viewers. The findings have implications for understanding social support interactions and bystander interventions in peer networks on SNSs.