Research Methods and Practice - Research Question Lab

My main area of interest is… 
 
how social media influences behaviour change/political mobilisation re climate change 
> perhaps visualisation, infographics, the role of opinion leaders/influencers and our relationship to them (para-social relationships) 
> focusing on social media as a function in itself rather than a distributor of traditional media 
 
- group mentality > sharing events and likes and how this influences others (more in the realm of facebook I want to focus on instagram as its the most familiar network to me)
- what lens of geography are you looking at it through 
 
 
JAMBOARD
 
Issey - how social media influences behaviour change/political mobilisation in the face of climate change.
 
I want to understand how activist influencers para-social relationships with the audience shape the audiences behaviour (if they do at all or if its just an echo-chamber)
 
Using the lens of the internet at a 'third space' an emphasising the social relationships online and framing SM as more than a distributor of traditional media
 
Third Space > Ray Oldenburg and refers to places where people spend time between home (‘first’ place) and work (‘second’ place). They are locations where we exchange ideas, have a good time, and build relationships.
 
In the age of Covid it has become clear that internet could be classed as a "third space" > interesting when we consider governance of this space? What are the power relations?
 

SO WHAT - THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE RESEARCH 
 
If these opinion leaders are effective in creating behaviour change is this because of what they are communicating or because their followers were likely to make changes anyway?
If they are effective how does it effect democracy having such potent political influence in the hands of a small group of non-elected people?
What can we learn from the effectiveness of the parasocial element of behavioural change when designing future campaigns and climate change communications?

MOVING FORWARD
 
- How am I going to determine this behaviour change? > the only way I think I could do it would be through questionnaires and the audience's self assessment 
- Would also like to interview the influencer activists and see if the whole parasocial element is intended or how they view their work. 
- Need to learn more about the social element of behaviour change > perhaps email stefi from the decision making module to se if she has any recommendations on this. 
- Ask Ariell when it is appropriate to contact potential supervisors 
- Try to see if there are any good books about designing masters thesis.