In social psychology, how does a post from a social media influencer typically differ from a comment made by a regular consumer?

• A. There is no significant difference between the impact of an influencer's post and a regular consumer's comment in social psychology.
• B. Influencer posts are generally ignored by most users, while regular consumer comments are highly influential.
• C. A regular consumer's comment usually reaches a wider audience and is considered more credible than an influencer's post.
• D. An influencer's post is more likely to shape public opinion and influence purchasing decisions due to their perceived authority and larger following.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the roles of social media influencers and regular consumers in social psychology. Influencers are individuals with a large following who are perceived as authoritative or credible sources, while regular consumers typically have smaller, less influential social networks.
2. Step 2: Recognize the concept of social influence, which refers to how individuals change their behavior or attitudes based on the actions or opinions of others, especially those seen as credible or authoritative.
3. Step 3: Analyze how the perceived authority and larger audience of influencers amplify their posts' impact, making their messages more likely to shape public opinion and influence purchasing decisions.
4. Step 4: Contrast this with regular consumer comments, which usually have a smaller reach and less perceived authority, resulting in a lower impact on public opinion and consumer behavior.
5. Step 5: Conclude that in social psychology, an influencer's post typically differs from a regular consumer's comment by having greater influence due to the influencer's authority and larger following.