herd_behav&behav_mimicry

The reaserch examines the relationship between the affordances of selected social media platforms and the ability to imitate interactions through herd behavior (HB) and behavioral mimicry (BM). The study was conducted using the CAWI method on a group of 184 representatives of Generation Z from selected universities in Poland. The multiple regression method was used for statistical analyses. It has been shown that respondents, in relation to perceived content popularity (PCP), tend to imitate the interactions of other users in the form of herd behavior (Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok) and behavioral mimicry (Instagram). In the same context, the perceived authority of other users (PA) influences the emergence of imitative interactions on Instagram and TikTok (HB) and Facebook and Instagram (BM). Overall, from the point of view of specific affordances, platforms differ in their potential for imitative interactions to emerge.