Influencer as a modern initiator of social actions. Case of The Body Positive Movement
 
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1
University of Gdańsk
 
2
brak afiliacji
 
 
Submission date: 2023-03-06
 
 
Final revision date: 2023-06-05
 
 
Acceptance date: 2023-06-10
 
 
Publication date: 2023-07-29
 
 
Corresponding author
Sylwia Joanna Kuczamer-Kłopotowska   

University of Gdańsk
 
 
JoMS 2023;51(2):528-551
 
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Objectives:
The authors were inspired by the new phenomenon of socially responsible initiatives, created by pro-socially oriented influencers. Analysis of international reference books has revealed a research gap existing in this field. The area for the conducted studies was a conceptually separate part of the Instagram community, related to pro-social activities. Dichotomous purposes of the paper include: in the epistemological aspect: definition of a new category of social media influencers focusing their interests and activities in social media on social issues, in the empirical aspect: exemplification of the aforementioned phenomenon in pro-social activities of a Polish influencer who represents the international The Body Positive Movement.

Material and methods:
The research was conducted primarily in the qualitative aspect. Individual In-depth Interview, Internet content analysis and research of secondary sources were conducted.

Results:
The studies indicate the existence of niche initiatives among social media influencers who create typical pro-social profiles on Instagram. This category of social media influencers, described and conceptually distinguished, can be called pro-social influencers (pro-social SMI). From the perspective of premises of the Social Influence Theory, analysis of relations between the studied pro-social influencer and her followers showed establishment of particularly durable, emotionally-charged relationships among people with similar views and cherished values.

Conclusions:
The study results and conclusions presented by the authors may offer an incentive for further in-depth studies focused on influencers as the modern initiators of social activities.

 
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