Abstract

This research tests the value of push and pull communication on Facebook in the first effort to test the validity of the Pub Principle and Social Intrusion Theory. This theory explains how audiences engage in a tug-of-war with commercial forces during mass communication and that commercial messaging is ultimately dependent upon the acceptance or rejection of its intended audience. The pub principle explains that social media is unlike traditional mass media and that the rules commercial forces must play by are different than for other mass media. Using a mixed-method approach, this research confirms the validity of this principle and theory. It finds that Facebook users spend significantly less time looking at push content like paid advertisements than at pull content like fan pages. This research also shows that audiences prefer dealing with pull content over push content on Facebook. The Pub Principle and Social Intrusion Theory are therefore supported by this research.

Degree

College and Department

Fine Arts and Communications; Communications

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/