How Do Instagram Messages Affect the Use of Renewable Energy? -- Application of an Extended Information Adoption Model

Abstract

As social media can play an important role in creating awareness of the need to mitigate climate change and of the benefits of renewable energy (RE), we examined the influences of social media on attitudes to renewable energy, including intention to use it. This study is novel in two ways: it simultaneously considers message characteristics and message-receiver perceptions as factors influencing the acceptance of renewable energy; and it is also the first study to use an extended information adoption model to evaluate the impact of Instagram on information adoption and the intention to use renewable energy sources. Our questionnaire, based on the theory of information adoption, included items on attitude toward information and trust in Instagram, and was randomly distributed online among followers of renewable energy pages on Instagram. A total of 173 people completed the questionnaire. Structural equation modeling showed that quality of argument had a positive and direct effect on the perceived usefulness of information. Source credibility as a peripheral path also indirectly increased perceived usefulness by changing attitude toward information. Moreover, perceived usefulness had a direct impact on information adoption and increased information adoption through trust of the materials.

Keywords: trust in Instagram, information adoption, social media, renewable energy, perceived usefulness