The Power of Others: A Qualitative Mixed-Method Study of Norm Adoption and Norm Adherence on Social Media

This paper explores social norms on social media, emphasizing the need for inductive research to capture the nuanced processes of norm adoption and adherence. Adopting a qualitative mixed-method approach, the study combines screen recordings, eye-tracking, think-aloud protocols, and semi-structured interviews to analyze how users perceive and adapt to social norms. Findings from 21 participants reveal distinct patterns of norm adoption with participants actively inferring platform-specific norms through visual cues (e.g., type of photos) and contextual signals (e.g., comments). Conversely, norm adherence on familiar platforms appears to involve more unconscious, habitual inferences shaped by both close peer influence and platform-specific expectations. The study highlights variations in norm processes across platforms, where Instagram promotes curated, idealized self-presentation, while TikTok encourages authenticity. Moreover, individual characteristics, platform affordances, and peer influence were found to shape self-presentation and self-disclosure and social norm adherence in diverse ways, underscoring the complexity and at times the striking uniqueness of digital self-expression of individual people. In sum, this research contributes to social norm theory by differentiating between norm adoption and adherence and by underscoring the impact of both interpersonal connections and platform culture on online behaviors.