Philippine E-Journals

Social Contagion of Astrology in the Social Media amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Kristoffer Romulo B. Lopez | Natalia P. Gaticales | Alliyah Vanessa C. Provido | Samantha Mae B. Santelices | Myla M. Arcinas

 

Abstract:

This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the associations of the extent of Social Contagion - Conscious Behavioral Response (CBR) towards Astrology on social media among Filipino Post-Millennial university students aged 18 to 23 years old with their demographics, Stress Level (SL), and Level of Susceptibility to Barnum effect (LSB) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The online survey garnered 406 respondents. Data were analyzed using descriptive and nonparametric inferential statistics. Findings found that respondents have high SL, moderate CBR level, and high LSB. Female respondents were found to have significantly higher CBR Factor Scores compared to males (p< 0.000). Thus, females tend to be consumers of Astrology in social media more. Other variables tested (religion, p=0.128; residence type, p=0.736; age, p=0.339) showed no significant statistical difference between the sample’s CBR Factor Scores. A person’s stress level during the COVID-19 pandemic (in terms of manageability and uncertainty) revealed a significant statistical association with their susceptibility level to Barnum effect (odds ratio 1.252686, p=0.002). The more stressed a person is, the higher the consumption of Astrology related information in social media (due to high uncertainty and less situation control, despite high management capacity score). Activities involved in the Astrology consumption through social media revealed a positive moderate significant association with their susceptibility level to the Barnum effect (r=0.603, p<0.0000). In this pandemic, females consumed more Astrology-related information, even when information may be vague to believe that it applies to all. Overall, the higher the SL and the higher the CBR, the higher the LSB. Thus, in this COVID-19 pandemic, females are more susceptible to higher levels of Barnum Effect as they consume higher levels of Astrology-related information triggered by higher levels of stress (brought by the high level of uncertainty and low level of individual’s situation control).