Lurking but Learning: The Effects of WhatsApp on Intergroup Cooperation in India

• In Event: Trust, Solidarity, and Participation in South Asian Politics

Abstract

How do WhatsApp messages depicting riots affect Hindu-Muslim cooperation in India? As a hypothetical example, consider the case of an individual who observes religious clashes through a video on WhatsApp, and then encounters an out-group neighbor later that day. How does the experience of watching the video inform the individual's willingness to cooperate with their neighbor? The widespread adoption of social media has changed how people are exposed to contentious politics in India. Existing research suggests that events like protests and riots have uneven effects on bystander attitudes and behavioral responses towards members of an outgroup. I argue that online observers of contention internalize narratives depicted on social media and use them to make decisions about cooperation. My project explores three mechanisms — emotional, informational, and social norms — that result in heightened intergroup cooperation. To develop and test the theory, I employ a mixed methods approach, using quantitative analyses of social media content, relational interviews, and survey and lab-in-the-field experiments in India.

Author

• Eyal Hanfling, Massachusetts Institute of Technology