Social media and #MeToo: the influence of social media usage on attitudes towards sexual harassment in the workplace

Abstract

This study explores to what extent the less tolerant attitudes towards sexual harassment in the workplace achieved by the #MeToo-movement could be attributed to increased Twitter usage. Much previous research has concerned themselves with the consequences of social media, however, the connection between Twitter usage and attitude towards sexual harassment in the workplace remains considerably absent. The data used in this study came from the American Trends Panel (ATP) of the PEW Research Center. An Exploratory Factor Analyses (EFA), Confirmatory Factor analyses (CFA) and Cronbach’s Alpha were conducted to check the validity and reliability of the scales. The regression analyses were conducted in a bootstrapped Structural Equation Model (SEM). Factor analysis yielded two dimensions for attitude towards sexual harassment in the workplace. Increased Twitter usage and being a woman leads to less tolerant attitudes for both dimensions. More exposure to content about sexual harassment leads to opposite effects for the two dimensions of attitudes towards sexual harassment in the workplace. The experience of sexual harassment predicted a less tolerant attitude towards sexual harassment in the workplace when it is assumed the harassment has taken place. Questions were raised about the validity of the operationalization of Twitter usage. This article strove to increase our knowledge of the effect Twitter has on attitudes.