Ruolin XuFollow

Date of Completion

Fall 12-15-2025

Thesis Advisor(s)

Anne Oeldorf-Hirsch

Honors Major

Communication

Disciplines

Social Influence and Political Communication | Social Media

Abstract

As TikTok increasingly becomes a primary platform for everyday communication and even an important venue for political communication, concerns have emerged about the potential negative effects of its algorithmic design. Prior research suggests the effect of echo chamber that social media may reinforce users' pre-existing attitudes by repeatedly exposing them to belief-consistent contents and limiting opportunities to encounter diverse viewpoints. Such selective exposure can undermine social inclusion by reducing individuals' openness toward people who hold different backgrounds or political beliefs. Meanwhile, gun control, as one of the most polarizing sociopolitical issues in the US, provides a particularly relevant context for examining these dynamics. This study examines the impact of social media on social inclusion by focusing on TikTok and gun control issues. A between-subjects online experiment was conducted with 93 undergraduate students who were randomly assigned to view pro-gun control TikTok videos, anti-gun control TikTok videos or neutral TikTok videos. Results indicated that although the main ANOVA tests were not significant, the observed patterns align with some part of the echo chamber effect that belief-consistent content tends to reinforce preexisting opinions. Additional analyses revealed a significant increase in support for gun control within the pro-gun control condition, whereas no meaningful changes were observed in the anti-gun control or neutral groups, suggesting no evidence of increased polarization emerged. Overall, the findings provide some support for the echo chamber effect and emphasize the importance of understanding how algorithm-curated platforms like TikTok shape political attitudes and inclusive concepts in the digital public space.

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