Author ORCID Identifier
Semester
Fall
Date of Graduation
2023
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MA
College
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Sociology and Anthropology
Committee Chair
Jesse Wozniak
Committee Co-Chair
Joshua Woods
Committee Member
Walter DeKeseredy
Abstract
TikTok is a trendy social media platform that has attracted billions of monthly users. Anyone can post a short video about their interests, beauty, relationships, travel, and controversial topics if they are 13 or older. Many young adults turn to social media platforms, such as TikTok, to help them make decisions regarding their everyday lives and to discuss controversial topics, such as abortion. The concern with social media content is the misinformation and disinformation that can spread rapidly across the globe with a click of a button. Numerous studies have begun to examine social media platforms for the accuracy of the information on the site and to decipher who is posting the content. Of great concern is that the people posting this information do not have the education or experience to back the claims they are making in their posts. We live in an ever-divided society with clashing beliefs, values, and norms. It is essential to understand the viewpoints of the content on these social media platforms to see if educated and experienced professionals are posting content on platforms such as TikTok. This research study is an exploratory content analysis of the top 50 “abortion,” posts on TikTok to examine who created the videos, the accuracy of the information in the videos, and the style of Impression Management used by the content creators. The analysis was conducted using two different periods: before and after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The TikTok content will be discussed using Goffman’s Impression Management as a theoretical paradigm. The two time periods will be compared to determine if the content and style of Impression Management changed after Roe was overturned.
Recommended Citation
Sturges, Jill E., "Love, Life, and Controversial Topics: A Content Analysis of the Top Liked Abortion TikTok Videos Before and After the Overturning of Roe v. Wade" (2023). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 12168.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/12168