Cancel Culture has been a topic of recent debate in the literature pertaining to social media’s impact on our modern world. While novel and in need of further exploration, this phenomenon has already been proposed as the catalyst for various negative psychological and practical impacts. As such, recent work has proposed that the general public will be pressured to avoid being the target of a cancellation event, conceptualizing this pressure as the Pressure for a Perfect Conduct construct. Still, there’s a critical lack of experimental data on the topic, particularly in striving to dive deeper into the behavioral impacts of this pressure. To address this gap, we conducted a 2x2 vignette-based experimental study, manipulating the agreement with the cancelled individual (Yes vs No) and the anonymity when posting (Yes vs No), and measuring their impact on the behavioral intentions of our participants. Data is still being analysed, but we expect agreement with the cancelled individual to increase supporting behaviors and decrease cancelling behaviors toward the target, with the opposite being true. Additionally, we expect lower levels of anonymity and increased PPC levels to stifle one’s intention to engage with the cancellation event, regardless of their agreement. Our study aims to join a select group of research works delving into the impacts of Cancel Culture, particularly those of an experimental nature, and hopes to significantly contribute to this novel and pressing issue.

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Cancel culture,social media,PPC,anonymity,experimental