Broadcasting and Narrowcasting: How Audience Size Affects What People Share

TLDR

The study investigates whether the number of recipients influences the topics and content people share. Audience size shapes sharing through shifts in attention focus: broadcasting sustains self‑focus, while narrowcasting heightens other‑focus, leading to different sharing patterns. Broadcasting prompts avoidance of self‑presenting content, whereas narrowcasting encourages sharing useful content, revealing how sender emphasis drives word‑of‑mouth behavior.

Abstract

Does the number of people with whom someone communicates influence what he or she discusses and shares? Six studies demonstrate that compared with narrowcasting (i.e., communicating with just one person), broadcasting (i.e., communicating with multiple people) leads consumers to avoid sharing content that makes them look bad. Narrowcasting, however, encourages people to share content that is useful to the message recipient. These effects are driven by communicators’ focus of attention. People naturally tend to focus on the self, but communicating with just one person heightens other-focus, which leads communicators to share less self-presenting content and more useful content. These findings shed light on the drivers of word of mouth and provide insight into when the communication sender (vs. receiver) plays a relatively larger role in what people share.