IN OR CLOUT?

ANALYZING THE RELATIONSHIP

OF CONTENT SHARING ON FACEBOOK
AND SOCIAL CURRENCY

An Undergraduate Thesis Presented to the Faculty

of the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila
Intramuros, Manila

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

in the subject Introduction to Communication Research
BAC 3101-2

By:

Castro, Patricia Alvarez

Cariaga, Catherine Joy Tolentino
Cua, Jannah Patrisse Raymundo
De Paula, Ken Joshua Baes
Dimalanta, Feliz Danielle
Galura, Ma. Angelika Lucyle Hermosa
Mayari, Mikaela Ysabelle Deang
Rapiz, Nicole Hortillano
Suralta, El Rona Lachica

January 2023
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preliminaries Page
Title Page i
Table of Contents 1

CHAPTER
I INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study 2
Statement of the Problem 4
Significance of the Study 5
Scopes and Limitations 7
II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Review of Related Literature and Studies 8
Synthesis 14
Study Frameworks 16
Conceptual Framework 18
Definition of Terms 19
III METHODOLOGY
Research Design 21
Research Locale 21
Samples and Sampling Techniques Used 22
Instrumentation 23
Statistical Analysis 25

REFERENCES 27

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CHAPTER I

Introduction

Background of the Study

Have you ever wondered why sharing the same content by a fellow Facebook

user, sometimes gives you fewer or greater interactions? It is because of social media

branding and how you project yourself in social media that affects your social media

currency.

In the digital age, social media is becoming more and more popular, and

everyone consumes it for a number of purposes. While some users use their content to

demonstrate their lifestyle and attract attention, others, including influencers and

company owners, use it to market, inspire, and inform their audience about how to

monetize their own businesses.

Social currency came from the Social Capital theory of the French sociologist

Pierre Bourdieu (1986) which analyzed how social cooperation improves society. Social

currency is the unique qualities and characteristics that an individual possesses that

enable them to flourish in interactive social channels. Consumers assess brands using

social currency based on their social media presence. It is your sway over online and

offline communities, social networks, and the extent to which others spread the word

about your brand. Social currency is the extra you need in your business if you want to

convert customers into brand promoters.

In 2022, a total of 7.74 billion social media users were logged by an analysis

report by Kepios, wherein 2.96 billion of it are Facebook handles (Statista, 2022). The

growing number of active social media accounts translates into the unpredictable variety
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of contents that is shared to the world. It becomes harder to segregate the people’s

preferred content and so an algorithm was also used in this business.

On the other hand, sharing contents online became a way for various users to

project their online identity, either as an altruist, careerist, boomerangs, selectives,

connectors, and hipsters (New York Times, 2011). People share and make content for

different reasons; may it be for entertainment, hobby, communication with others

through their vlogs, blogs etc. By learning how the essence of sharing works, it will be

easier for the content creators to identify what sets them apart from their audience. In

identifying this, creators will be motivated to share dependable and relatable contents.

(New York Times, 2011).

Today, in the fast-paced generation, sharing contents online was seen in studies

to have been able to release hormones. It instigates the releasing of Oxytocin which

provides a stimulus to protect the bond formed against other variables in the

environment (Pickup, 2017). Also, this hormone helps increase the feelings of well-

being, generating our socially desirable characteristics.

As the main focus of this study, researchers will analyze the content sharing

activity of the respondents and dig deeper into examining the causal relationship that it

has with respect to their social media currency. As aforementioned by the New York

Times, social media users share content for a specific reason, and this study would like

to know such a reason from a localized perspective and analyzing its relationship to

other pertinent factors.

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Statement of the Problem

The study seeks to answer the question “Are Facebook users sharing contents

just for clout?”

Specifically, this study aims to answer the following questions:

1. What is the demographic profile of the respondent in terms of:

1.1 age bracket;

1.2 social media currency;

1.3 content sharing activity?

2. What are the respondent’s preferred contents to be shared online?

3. How often does the respondent share a specific type of content in Facebook?

4. Why does the respondent share those type of content in Facebook?

5. Is there a significant difference between the content sharing activity of

respondents when grouped according to their:

5.1 social media currency;

5.2 age bracket?

Hypothesis

The hypothesis of this study will be tested at 0.05 level of significance.

Ho1: There is no significant difference on the content sharing activity of

respondents when grouped according to their age bracket and

social media currency.

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Significance of the Study

This study aims to analyze the relationship of content sharing on Facebook and

its social currency. The study hopes to benefit the following:

Society. The results of this research study will benefit society, considering that

we consume social media content almost in our daily life. And since our technologies

progress each day, it is no brainer that society itself is a massive consumer of the

internet. Especially, most of the content creators and consumers nowadays consist of

the younger generation, usually those who are born in the year 1995-2012 or

Generation Z. Thus, making organizations and other platform users utilize Facebook to

the great extent to hook their audience and share their own digital content.

Social Media Practitioners. The study of social currency in various social media

platforms shall generate an understanding of the social dynamics existing in the world

wide web, not only in terms of content sharing but content making as well. It is of the

essence that the youth, specifically with the age range of fifteen (15) to twenty-four (24)

years old, shall be equipped with social cognizance to be able to develop their social

understanding online. As social media practitioners, they will benefit the most in

maintaining or improving both their social currency and security. Most importantly, in the

rise of the digital age, every social media user receives and gives out social currency,

thus, it becomes apparent that everyone has their own social capital inside and outside

the boundaries of technology. The question is, “How would the youth benefit from a

study about social currency?” It is inevitable that being a social media practitioner shall

experience or encounter the social standards set by different media platforms, which

leads them to distinguish what kind of content is shared and created through these

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platforms. As such, social currency is formed and ultimately defined—but with

limitations covered in different community guidelines and the social media etiquettes in

general. With these in mind, they shall be trained to become better social media

practitioners not just in one platform, but in other platforms as well.

Entrepreneurs. When talking about social currency in business, the specific

groups of people involved in the cycle of media production include online sellers and

content creators or influencers that come from an age bracket of eighteen to thirty (18-

30) years old. The point is we cannot assume that these people would have the time or

effort to read a study about social currency if they are not even required to, but rather,

aspiring influencers and content creators—especially mass communication and

business administration students, have the privilege to study about social currency

dynamics. Students who are already or would incline themselves with media education

would have the luxury to prepare themselves and develop their media skills for start-up

businesses they would want to pursue in the future, whichever field they already took or

are currently taking.

Organizations (Brand producers, and developers). Social media such as

Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc., has been a great platform to promulgate products,

however, it is crucial to be aware of what is currently in, to hook social media users.

Hence, this study will benefit organizations for them to further understand the

importance of trends and social media currency.

Students. The study shall help the students, in general, to broaden their

knowledge in social studies and further improve their understanding of the social

dynamics of the web.

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Future researchers. The outcome of the study may serve as a foundation on

conducting another research related to the current study, which can lead to its accuracy

and precision. The study also helps as an initial reference for further study on social

media currency and content sharing activity. Moreover, the salient features that may

emerge from their study can become additional data to improve the dynamics of social

media branding and currency in relation to content sharing activity.

Scopes and Limitations

This study will be limited only to young adults, aged 18-25 that are currently

studying at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM). It will involve undergraduate

students selected through clustered sampling for the online survey questionnaires, and

upon determining the sample size, a purposive sampling will then be done to determine

the informants to take part in the semi-structured face-to-face interview for further

elaboration in the study. The researchers limited the fieldwork within Intramuros for an

efficient and convenient process of data gathering.

The study will only be focusing on Facebook as it is the most used platform of

social media, also to create a focused conclusion on the relationship of content sharing

and social media currency. Moreover, the study will not cover other arising conflicts

within the chosen platform.

Nonetheless, young adults were seen as the potent target sample as they inhibit

maturity in decision making, physically, cognitively, spiritually, sexually, and emotionally

developed (Advocates for Youth, n.d.) especially on considering what they share online.

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CHAPTER 2

Theoretical Framework

This chapter presents the researcher’s survey of literature, studies, and other

resources that are pertinent to the development of the study. Studies shall not be older

that 10 years during the final presentation of the paper. Required number of references

is upon the discretion of the thesis adviser and panel members. Additionally, the chapter

also explains the synthesis, conceptual framework and terms which are lexically and

operationally defined.

Review of Related Literature and Studies

Defining Social Media Currency

The Project Casting Website (2016) defined Social Media Currency as "the

resources and abilities created and accessible through a man or woman’s presence on

social media." Rooted from late French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu's social capital

theory, which highly poses that a person gains value to the society through connections.

The evolved ideology has taken a new meaning since the invention of social networking

sites, and as Hollywood producers and directors give much emphasis to how many

followers one has than their actual acting skills (Project Casting Website, 2016).

Moreover, Social Media Currency could be the "virtual store of value associated

with your online (and real) personality, brand, and identity" (McCarthy, 2018). He

expressed that social media and social networks have drifted the means of

communication, but there still resides the essence of it on the foundation of good

marketing and execution.

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At this moment in time, the development of information and communication

technologies have been evolving rapidly, particularly the massive growth of online users

that are actively participating in the emergence of activities through the use of social

media platforms. Hence, social currency was perceived as a source for establishing

social relationships with online users around the world, as well as a platform for

disseminating and sharing of online contents such as music, photos, videos, games,

reading, and writing of social media comments, which will serve as the social circulation

and interaction within your family, friends, colleagues, and strangers. In other words, the

exchange of social interactions that takes place within the social media platforms is

already the idea of what social currency means. (Khan et al., 2021)

Additionally, as the world of technology continues to dominate our social life,

social media also proceeds to subjugate our digital environment. However, trust is a

significant attribute in today’s modern world of extending viewpoints and intensifying

anonymity, thus, there are still issues of trust being present in our digital environment.

Furthermore, what social currency actually is, is the information shared between

individuals that has value. People may keep on sharing contents on their social media

platforms if it has a satisfactory social currency. And as a result of this, it helps the

digital market to utilize the recommendations and reviews of consumers which also

increases the customers' trust and brand recognition (Invisibly, n.d.).

Social media platforms have evolved from merely a tool for users to

communicate with their loved ones, to a point where users may now utilize social media

as a marketing tool. According to Chi (2011,46), social media marketing is a “connection

between brands and consumers, [while] offering a personal channel and currency for

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user centered networking for social interaction.” Thus, these platforms will allow their

users to create and share content in order for them to engage and interact with their

audience by developing their brand, advertising their products and/or services, and

driving traffic to their own websites/business. And with these additional features and

platforms appearing on a daily basis, social media marketing has evolved to the point

that it has been embedded in people’s lives. (Paquette, 2013)

Now that we are in our modern era, digitalization has swooped in our lives

smoothly, making our manner of living easier and less complicated. We could access

every little information we need through a variety of social media while also building new

connections across the online community. Consequently, social media contents

occurred in this whole new world and thus usually contains different purposes: to

entertain, educate and monetize.

For the latter part, social media contents are being monetized based on a

person, group or a brand's followers, likes, comments, shares, and views (Colcol, 2020).

Social media influencers have the ability to alter and sway the minds of its followers in

just a click of their hands. Their power came from the term "social currency".

People often follow and trust these people because of their credibility, class status and

popularity. Social currency, as cited by (Hum, 2020) from Prof. Jonah Berger's book

entitled, Contagious: Why Things Catch On, is a concept based on social capital theory

– a nuanced idea about how people behave in reciprocal ways in social networks.

According to this study, social media users only share things that make them

look good. They intentionally create and post things that are visually and aesthetically
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pleasing for the eyes of their viewers. For this specific reason, they are likely to succeed

in building up a social media presence and a good reputation.

On a local perspective, Government-funded literature from labor-supplying

nations like India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and the Philippines has been

disproportionately buoyant about the new modern technological industry. They promote

digital labor as a viable source of income that not only appeals to people individually but

also has the potential to spur economic growth in both rural and urban areas.

Meanwhile, in the Philippines, the administration views digital employment as a location-

independent substitute for the nation's high rate of labor emigration abroad as well as a

feasible choice for new college graduates without credentials from the nation's elite

universities (Fabros, 2016). According to Ferraz, 2015, in a society wherein working

prospects are complicated by financial stagnation and societal difficulties, numerous

cyber laborers in the Philippines view their profession as a very enticing prospect.

Content sharing psychology

Every aspect of life has been impacted by social media, and social media

platforms have become essential for communication in the modern world. Society's

lifestyle and communication had a huge change because of the rise of social media

nowadays. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have grown in

popularity in the past years and have become part of people's everyday lives.

Different research have shown that there are different reasons why people use

social media to post. According to the New York Times, people use social media for

entertainment, learning, communication and for educational purposes.

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Online content sharing is also a way to express and share our thoughts and to

be connected to the world. In this way, social media presence also reflects our

identities. Based on the study of New York Times, 68% of people share who they are

and what they care about on their social media accounts. The most frequently cited

motives for using social media include establishing a relationship, exchanging ideas.

The  increase  of  social  media and Internet  usage  is observed in various parts

of the world. As claimed by the statistical data of We Are Social (2018), the Philippines

has the highest rate of social media usage in the world, as the number of Internet users

nationwide reached 67 million, with a daily average time usage of nine hours and

twenty-nine minutes through the use of any device.

Filipinos may be motivated  to frequently  share content online as it has become

a very reinforcing stimulus; It  provides users  with an immediate  and  easy access  to

attain  satisfaction and  empowerment  to manage the way they present themselves,

regardless of their true identity or physical characteristics (Wong, Yuen, & Li, 2015). 

Clout Chasing Culture

The rise of content creation in social media platforms like Youtube and Tiktok

paved a way for many individuals. Some creators even quit their office and corporate

jobs to focus on their contents, and even stating that they earn more in this job than

those white-collar jobs. Given this reality, according to (Marres & Moats, 2015) this gave

the content creators the privilege to write freely and produce controversial and malicious

topics for them to gain attention and clicks. Controversy is referred to as fluid of concept

with many meanings, but social scientists count these controversies as scandals.

Although given the possibilities of content monetization, three factors should still be
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considered upon posting controversial or “clout-chasing” posts namely the platform,

brand, and viewers. (Marres & Moats, 2015). Best believe that this type of content is

being fed by the receivers that is why it circulates and is still going on.

As mentioned above, there are underlying factors in which a controversial

content is labeled that makes it appear to be a clout chasing strategy—and in speaking

of controversy, a clout chasing content is often linked with context: an important element

in achieving any result or reaction from a particular audience, viewer, or reader.

Greenwood et al. (2013) study about “Fame and the social self” indicates that these

underlying factors mostly deal with the content creator’s or sharer’s needs, other than

utilizing content for monetization. These include a.) desire solely for fame, b.) hope for

financial success, c.) achievement, and a d.) sense of belonging. Moreover, these

factors lead to the whys of content creators’ intent to “clout chase”, particularly to be a.)

seen or valued, to achieve an b.) elite lifestyle, or to just appear c.) narcissistic. Thus,

the study “In or Clout?” highlights, as well, the motivations of human desires associated

with their own social and fundamental needs. However, the dangers of clout chasing,

whether for fame or monetization, is still inevitable. These potential risks include 1.)

cyberbullying, encountering 2.) sexual predators, being exposed to 3.) pornography,

and having 4.) damaged reputations.

In the context of Filipino clout chasing, content creators guised as

“pseudonymous influencers” involved in media production also become instruments of

media manipulation. According to Ong and Cabbuag (2022) in their study about

“Pseudonymous Influencers and Media Manipulation in the Philippines'", these content

creators in the form of parody accounts, meme pages, romantic love quotes (hugot)

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accounts, and horny queer “alt” accounts are able to evade disinformation interventions

such as fact-checking due to their media manipulation objectives more directed toward

boosting politically slanted ideals. This now highlights the extent of clout chasing to

promote dark or negative public relations even in the deepest web (refers to any

practice that intentionally aims to harm, discredit, or destroy a competitor through PR

efforts). These pseudonymous influencers then become disinformation agents that

pollute the media ecosystem, using media manipulation strategies not only confined to

the narrow frame of “disinformation”. They take advantage of regulatory loopholes, they

use humorous language to impose political and scandalous messages, and they even

provoke inflammatory speech while they maintain anonymity. Consequently, Filipino

content creators often receive defamatory remarks from their audience—mostly due to

the disinformation these influencers are responsible for creating and sharing.

Synthesis

The study has included local and foreign literature in relation to the study.

Nevertheless, other readings, articles, and research papers analyzed and examined the

relationship of content sharing activity with regards to social media currency. Similar

organizations and works gave definition to social media currency as the mileage,

interaction, follows, and likes that a user has (Project Casting Website, 2016; Colcol,

2020). Meanwhile, other readings and researchers defined social media currency as the

branding and image that a social media handle projects to its network (Khan, et al.,

2021; Invisibly, n.d.; Chi, 2011; Paquette, 2013; and Hum, 2020). Likewise, as for the

sharing psychology of users, this chapter unveiled that it can be rooted to the desire to
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share ideas, establish connections, promote awareness, and entice interaction (Hashim

& Kutbi, 2005), to project a particular image to their followers (New York Times, 2011),

or simply catch attention or clout chase (Marres & Moats, 2015; and Greenwood et al.,

2013). These related works aid to determine and help the basis and serve as the

backbone of this study. Unlike the abovementioned references, the study would like to

determine the latent relationship linking the hidden desire of a Facebook user to share

contents with respect to their current social media currency.

In the Filipino context, social media currency was seen in relation to digital

employment (Fabroz, 2016; and Ferraz, 2015). Wherein modern digital opportunities

equate into a living or a source of income, or literally, a currency. In line with foreign

literature, clout chasing was seen as a Public relation effort to earn a living in the market

(Ong and Cabbuag, 2022), and as an enforcing stimulus for feeling satisfactions and

empowerment (Wong, Yuen & Li, 20015). In short, local studies shown the monetization

procedure of content creation and social media currency. Unlike the aforementioned

studies, this paper aims to focus on the content sharing rather than content creation

dynamics, if social media currency is still in play in the equation.

Generally, the study differs from other sources from its localized and smaller

samples (focus groups), and also, the proponents would like to prove the relationship

between the respondents’ content sharing activity and social media currency, that does

a user who is active keeps sharing content on Facebook to keep their followers updated

at bay, or either, and likewise.

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Study Frameworks

Social Comparison Theory

Social Comparison theory (SCT) is a framework that explains the natural

tendency of humans to compare themselves to others. It states that individuals

determine and assess their own values, social and personal worth based on how they

are paralleled against others (Psychology Today, 2011).

In accordance with its main proponent Leon Festinger (1954), there is a distinct

comparison process behind the idea that people evaluate their own experiences,

opinions, values, achievements, and abilities respectively to that of others. There are

two types of approaches in SCT, the upward and downward social comparison: upward

when comparing oneself to someone we see better than us, and downward when

comparing ourselves with someone we see worse than us (Cherry, 2022).

This comparison process tendency is believed by Festinger as a way of

establishing a benchmark by which we can make accurate evaluations of ourselves

(Festinger, 1954; Cherry, 2022). Later studies shown that people who frequently

compare themselves may end up on two notes: one, may find motivation to improve; or

two, at the same time feel guilt, dissatisfaction, remorse, and likely engage into

destructive behaviors (Psychology Today, 2011).

In this case, social media currency can be assessed through the upward SCT,

wherein we compare our low media engagement to those with high media and content

engagement and place our branding of social currency in question. Analyzing the

content sharing dynamics that users with high engagement practice, they can use it to

improve their social media currency. A user with high social currency may have a set of
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distinct practice, method, or preferences in content sharing which lacks from Facebook

personas with lower social media currency.

Uses and Gratification Theory

The uses and gratification theory was coined in the early 1940s by Katz and

Blumler (1974), it aims to understand why individuals use certain types of media, what

demands they have to use, and what gratifications they get from utilizing them.

According to the “uses and gratification” theory, people utilize media to satisfy their

certain needs and wants. In addition, this theory is a mass communication conjecture

that focuses on the motives and satisfaction of media users (Gordon, 2022). It proclaims

what individuals do with media rather than what media does to people. In contrast to

many media theories, uses and gratification theory regards consumers as active

participants who've had influence over their media usages (Vinney, 2019). In keeping

with communication theory, when individuals decide what to talk about among

themselves, people engage in the media. They expand their apprehension and

exposure to the world outside of their field of vision by using the media.

The theory of uses and gratification of Jay Blumler and Elihu Katz in 1974 is

frequently cited to them as the foundation of the concept. Conversely, to fully illustrate

the Uses and Gratifications Theory, they wrote "The uses of mass communication:

Current perspectives on gratifications research." Research on the uses and

gratifications theory is more crucial than ever in comprehending people's points of view

for selecting media and the fulfillment they derive from it.

In this study, it can be derived that a Facebook user shares content online

because the use of the platform they need was gratified, thus causing continued usage.

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Conceptual Framework

Image Projection

Young adult Type of Content

Facebook User Sharing and Activity

Social media
User’s Social Media interactions
Currency

Figure 1 The content sharing diagram

The study is centered on analyzing the relationship between the content sharing

activity of a Facebook user and the role that social media currency has on its audience.

A young adult is more matured in terms of cognitive, emotional, and social skills; thus, it

can never be denied that there are multiple extraneous factors that affect their content

sharing activity and preference. However, these factors are not in the scopes of the

study, but the proponents considered the respondent’s social media currency as a

mediating factor affecting the dependent variables in the study.

As a whole, the chart depicts the relationship of the young adult’s content sharing

activity and preference to their social media currency, and how it affects their image

projections and social media interactions.

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Definition of Terms

The following terms are defined conceptually and operationally for clearer and

better understanding:

Clout chasing is a popular internet slang that describes someone who attempts

to gain popularity, attention, influence, or mileage through associating oneself with

popular issues or personalities. It can also be defined as someone who is projecting an

image which suits the current internet fads.

Content activity refers to the frequency or activeness a respondent is when it

comes to sharing posts online.

Content preference refers to the type of content or Facebook post the

respondent typically consumes and shares online.

Content sharing is defined as the dissemination of any post in Facebook,

whether it may be for entertainment, information, charity, or clout.

Engagement refers to the likes, shares and comments, a post typically has.

Social media refers to any website or application that allows its users to interact,

create and share content anytime and anywhere. However, in this study, the proponents

only used Facebook as its main source of data among social media platforms.

Social media currency refers to the numerical data or the number of likes and

reactions an individual receive in a certain post upon using a specific social networking

site (in this case, Facebook) to connect and interact with other digital natives through

the internet. Thus, a determiner whether a post has gone viral and/or obtain either low

or high and good or bad feedback from other social media users that one belongs to is

needed.

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Young adults. Age is one factor seen in the research as an intervening variable.

In the study, they are students currently studying in the locale, and is categorized in the

following age bracket: 18-25 years old.

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CHAPTER 3

Methodology

This chapter presents the research design used in this study, the locale where

the study will be conducted, as well as the samples and sampling techniques to be used

to determine the respondents. It also includes the development, validation and reliability

testing of the instrumentations, data gathering procedure, and the statistical tools used

in analyzing the collected data.

Research Design

The study adapted a descriptive research design. It systematically aims to obtain

a general overview on the prevalent portents through statistical gathering of diverse and

thorough necessary details in the respondents on a given locale and unveiling the

undermined causal relationships of the variables (McCombes, 2019).

In addition, the study will integrate the qualitative (focus groups) and quantitative

(surveys) type of methodology. This method will allow the proponents to identify the

prevailing aspects of the phenomenon to be more precise by using different approaches

on instrumentations and data analysis.

Research Locale

The research shall be conducted in Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM).

It is located within the walls of Intramuros in the city of Manila. PLM is the first and only

autonomous educational institution funded by the local government unit.

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PLM was chosen as the locale for its convenience, specifically, proximity, for the

researchers to gather the data and identify its samples. The institution also serves as a

melting pot of various students in and outside Manila, may it be on their socioeconomic

status, religion, age, gender orientation, and other distinguishing characteristics.

Samples and Sampling Techniques Used

Young adults, aged 18-25, studying at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila who

are active content sharers online will be chosen as the subjects under the study, as the

locale show high diversity of students and as it is convenient to the researcher. The

respondents then shall be grouped mainly according to their age bracket, social media

currency, and content sharing activity.

Likewise, the 16,188 undergraduate students of PLM will then be determined

with a margin of error of 5%, thus having 375 respondents that shall be trimmed down

using the clustered sampling, wherein it makes you isolate set of persons instead of

individual members to serve as the sample (Baraceros, 2016).

Conversely, the 375 respondents then, shall be equally divided into their content

sharing activity: inactive, active, hyperactive, each cluster having 125 respondents. The

social media currency, and age bracket shall then be considered and be put into a test

for inequality.

On the other hand, for the interview part of the study, the researchers will have to

do a purposive sampling from the entire sample size. It is considered as purposive since

the proponents already had prior respondents. Applying the qualitative research design,

ten informants for further questioning regarding the study. The researchers will prepare
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who the informants will be, that are of maximum variation to take advantage of its

heterogeneous characteristic, which in turn would greatly produce a constructive and

inclusive output from this study.

Instrumentation

Instruments to be used in this study will be a balance of modified survey

questionnaire, and structured interviews which will aid the proponents to properly

distinguish the respondent’s Facebook content sharing activity and social media

currency. Results will also be examined through considering other pertinent factors from

the respondent’s profile.

1. Survey questionnaire. An online survey questionnaire will be used to gather

the important details needed from the respondents. The questionnaire will

have two parts. First, the personal information profile of the respondents, it

includes their age, gender preference, and Facebook handle link. The link

shall serve as the researcher’s basis for the respondent’s social media

currency. For the second part, it will include 20 questions that will help the

researchers to extract certain answers and feedbacks that are vital for the

study like their preferred content shares, and their social media activeness. A

5-point Likert scale with corresponding share count shall then be used to

determine the respondent’s content sharing activity.

Range of computed
Share count Verbal interpretation
scale value
1 (0-2 shares) 1.00 – 1.49 Inactive sharer
2 (3-5 shares) 1.50 – 2.49 Somewhat active sharer
3 (6-10 shares) 2.50 – 3. 49 Moderately active sharer
4 (11-15 shares) 3.50 – 4.49 Active sharer

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5 (20 shares and up) 4.50 – 5.00 Hyperactive sharer

2. Interview questions. Several questions will be asked to confirm the answers

in the survey. The semi-structured interview will be utilized to clarify uncertain,

imprecise, or shady answers or indications in the online survey questionnaire.

It will also allow the proponents to ask further questions regarding their social

media currency and the “hows and whys” of their answers. It would also allow

the proponents to code the answers of the interviewee on their subjective

motivations on sharing contents online to come up with a common theme with

respect to their social media currencies.

All participating respondents in the study shall be given a data privacy waver,

indicating that all the data gathered from them shall rest assured be used on the

purpose of the study alone.

Nonetheless, the number of respondents answering the survey questionnaires

and interview questions will not be at par, thus unequal number of the numeric and

descriptive part of the instrumentations would be collected and analyzed. Upon

gathering information from both instruments used, it shall be the basis for the

respondent’s content sharing activity. These shall be used for tabulating and examining

if there is a relationship between the respondent’s social media currency to their content

sharing activity and preference.

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Statistical Analysis

As for the first statement of the problem, the demographic profile of the

respondents shall be grouped according to their cluster, such as age bracket, social

media currency, and content sharing activity in a frequency distribution table. Likewise,

for question 2, a frequency table shall be used to determine the respondent’s typical

choice of contents to be shared online.

Furthermore, for question 3, the 5-point Likert scale shall be computed using the

formula of weighed mean. A test for inequality will also be necessary as it would justify

the validity of the hypothesis.

On the other hand, for the interview part, which encompasses not only the fourth

question, but the researchers will also have to write down everything the respondents

stated through memory recall, transcribe it, and conceptualize themes that can be

developed through the responses.

Lastly, for problem number 5, the researchers shall run an ANOVA Test or

multiple T-tests, both tested at a 0.05 level of significance. The proponents shall then

determine and identify the significant differences of the result of the study when the

respondents are grouped according to their social media currency and age bracket, in

which it shall determine the variance in and between set of groups (Gien, 2020).

Such then, can the proponents answer the main problem of the study: are

Facebook users sharing content just for clout?

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