Current Research
Jade is currently working on True Crime on Twitter: Assuming Guilt, Assigning Blame, and Searching for Meaning
Abstract:
Breaking news has evolved from 24-hour news channels to individuals sharing information on their personal social media networks. Gabby Petito was reported as a missing person on September 11, 2021, and individuals flocked to Twitter and other social media networks to learn and share information about her case. We analyzed 2,000 tweets using the hashtags #gabbypetito and #gabbypetitio to gain a better understanding of how Twitter users manage and share breaking news information. Through qualitative inductive coding analysis, five key themes emerged: (1) Twitter users as citizen detectives; (2) the assumption and assigning of blame; (3) conversations about missing white women syndrome; (4) connections with pop culture and true crime fandom; and (5) sensationalism and content engagement. Implications for managing information and making sense of breaking news as well as contributions to the literature on citizen journalists and detectives are discussed.
Work in-progress
Larson, J. (in-progress) Propaganda or playful: Memefication of politics on Facebook.
Larson, J. (in-progress) Political upheaval to doomscrolling: Negative news effects on political efficacy and identification.
Abstract:
Breaking news has evolved from 24-hour news channels to individuals sharing information on their personal social media networks. Gabby Petito was reported as a missing person on September 11, 2021, and individuals flocked to Twitter and other social media networks to learn and share information about her case. We analyzed 2,000 tweets using the hashtags #gabbypetito and #gabbypetitio to gain a better understanding of how Twitter users manage and share breaking news information. Through qualitative inductive coding analysis, five key themes emerged: (1) Twitter users as citizen detectives; (2) the assumption and assigning of blame; (3) conversations about missing white women syndrome; (4) connections with pop culture and true crime fandom; and (5) sensationalism and content engagement. Implications for managing information and making sense of breaking news as well as contributions to the literature on citizen journalists and detectives are discussed.
Work in-progress
Larson, J. (in-progress) Propaganda or playful: Memefication of politics on Facebook.
Larson, J. (in-progress) Political upheaval to doomscrolling: Negative news effects on political efficacy and identification.