Content creator and follower relations in digital culture: Constructing role models

Mücahit Baykul

doi:10.26466/opusjsr.1920997

EN TR

Content creator and follower relations in digital culture: Constructing role models

Abstract

This study examines emerging forms of individual influence produced through the relationship between content creators and their followers in digital culture. Using a quantitative survey design, data were collected from 587 followers of five content creators. The findings indicate that followers internalize the influence of content creators not through formal hierarchies, but through everyday interactions and processes of identification. The role model function attributed to content creators also contributes to the construction of latent authority. The scale was designed to measure how followers perceive content creators through the dimensions of sincerity, interaction, trustworthiness, expertise, similarity, role model perception, and latent authority. Following content validity procedures, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test construct validity. The exploratory factor analysis produced a seven-factor structure with 25 items, and the reliability coefficient was .800. In the confirmatory factor analysis, all items loaded above .40, and the scale showed acceptable model fit indices, including χ²/df = 2.086, GFI = .876, CFI = .896, and RMSEA = .060. The confirmatory factor analysis reliability coefficient was .811, indicating very good internal consistency. The findings suggest that the scale is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing followers’ role model perceptions of content creators and their latent authority in digital culture.

Keywords

content creator, follower, authority, role model, persona

Dijital kültürde içerik üreticisi ile takipçi ilişkileri: Rol modelliği inşası

Abstract

Bu araştırma içerik üreticisi ile takipçi ilişkilerinin ortaya koyduğu yeni bireysel etki biçimlerini incelemektedir. Nicel yöntem aracılığıyla 5 içerik üreticisinin 587 takipçisiyle yapılan tarama araştırmasında bulgularımız, takipçilerin içerik üreticisinin etkisini resmi hiyerarşiler yerine günlük etkileşim ve özdeşleşmeler aracılığıyla içselleştirmesini desteklemektedir. İçerik üreticilerine atfedilen rol modeli işlevi de örtük otoritenin oluşumuna katkıda bulunmaktadır. Ölçek, takipçilerin içerik üreticilerini samimiyet, etkileşim, güven, uzmanlık, benzerlik, rol model algısı ve örtük otorite boyutları üzerinden nasıl algıladıklarını ölçmek üzere tasarlanmıştır. İçerik geçerliliği prosedürlerinin ardından, yapı geçerliliğini test etmek amacıyla açımlayıcı ve doğrulayıcı faktör analizleri gerçekleştirilmiştir. Açımlayıcı faktör analizi, 25 maddeden oluşan yedi faktörlü bir yapı ortaya çıkarmıştır ve güvenilirlik katsayısı 0,800 olmuştur. Doğrulayıcı faktör analizinde, tüm maddeler 0,40'ın üzerinde yükleme göstermiş ve ölçek, χ²/df = 2,086, GFI = 0,876, CFI = 0,896 ve RMSEA = 0,060 dahil olmak üzere kabul edilebilir model uyum verileri sergilemiştir. Doğrulayıcı faktör analizi güvenilirlik katsayısı 0,811 olarak hesaplandı ve bu da çok iyi bir iç tutarlılığa işaret etmektedir. Bulgular, ölçeğin takipçilerin içerik üreticileri hakkındaki rol modeli algılarını ve dijital kültürdeki örtük otoritelerini değerlendirmek için geçerli ve güvenilir bir araç olduğunu göstermektedir.

Keywords

içerik üreticisi, takipçi, otorite, rol modeli, persona

Ethical Statement

I hereby declare that all stages of this study have been conducted in accordance with research and publication ethics, and that I have adhered to ethical guidelines and the principles of scientific citation.

Thanks

I would like to express my gratitude to my advisor, Prof. Dr. Fuat Güllüpınar, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Emin Balcı for their support of this research.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Internet, Mass Media, Social Media Studies, New Communication Technologies, New Media, Recreation Sociology, Communication Sociology, Sociology of Culture

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Mücahit Baykul ^*
0000-0003-3471-8144
Türkiye

Publication Date

May 8, 2026

Submission Date

April 1, 2026

Acceptance Date

May 7, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 23 Number: 2026

DOI

https://doi.org/10.26466/opusjsr.1920997

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA23HW98DE

APA

Baykul, M. (2026). Content creator and follower relations in digital culture: Constructing role models. OPUS Journal of Society Research, 23(2026), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.26466/opusjsr.1920997

AMA

1.Baykul M. Content creator and follower relations in digital culture: Constructing role models. OPUS JSR. 2026;23(2026):1-13. doi:10.26466/opusjsr.1920997

Chicago

Baykul, Mücahit. 2026. “Content Creator and Follower Relations in Digital Culture: Constructing Role Models”. OPUS Journal of Society Research 23 (2026): 1-13. https://doi.org/10.26466/opusjsr.1920997.

EndNote

Baykul M (May 1, 2026) Content creator and follower relations in digital culture: Constructing role models. OPUS Journal of Society Research 23 2026 1–13.

IEEE

[1]M. Baykul, “Content creator and follower relations in digital culture: Constructing role models”, OPUS JSR, vol. 23, no. 2026, pp. 1–13, May 2026, doi: 10.26466/opusjsr.1920997.

ISNAD

Baykul, Mücahit. “Content Creator and Follower Relations in Digital Culture: Constructing Role Models”. OPUS Journal of Society Research 23/2026 (May 1, 2026): 1-13. https://doi.org/10.26466/opusjsr.1920997.

JAMA

1.Baykul M. Content creator and follower relations in digital culture: Constructing role models. OPUS JSR. 2026;23:1–13.

MLA

Baykul, Mücahit. “Content Creator and Follower Relations in Digital Culture: Constructing Role Models”. OPUS Journal of Society Research, vol. 23, no. 2026, May 2026, pp. 1-13, doi:10.26466/opusjsr.1920997.

Vancouver

1.Mücahit Baykul. Content creator and follower relations in digital culture: Constructing role models. OPUS JSR. 2026 May 1;23(2026):1-13. doi:10.26466/opusjsr.1920997

Content creator and follower relations in digital culture: Constructing role models

Abstract

Keywords

Dijital kültürde içerik üreticisi ile takipçi ilişkileri: Rol modelliği inşası

Abstract

Keywords

Ethical Statement

Thanks

References

Details

Primary Language

Subjects

Journal Section

Authors

Publication Date

Submission Date

Acceptance Date

Published in Issue

DOI

IZ

Cite