Multi-element Persuasion in Social Media Health Communication: Synergistic and Trade-off Effects

2026-04-29

AI Summary

Existing health communication research often focuses on single or pairwise persuasive elements, limiting understanding of how multiple elements interact synergistically. Addressing this gap, this study adopts a systems perspective by analyzing 1.8 million Weibo health-related posts, integrating cluster analysis with a “core–periphery–context” theoretical framework to identify prevalent multi-element combinations and their association with message dissemination outcomes. The analysis reveals four distinct core compositional structures and demonstrates that the number of peripheral elements and source credibility jointly moderate传播 effectiveness. This work is the first to systematically elucidate the synergistic and trade-off mechanisms among multiple persuasive elements, shifting the field from isolated element analysis toward holistic combination optimization and offering data-driven strategic guidance for effective health communication practice.

Abstract

Health messages on social media are typically constructed through combinations of source cues, appeals, frames, and evidence, which jointly shape communication and persuasive effects. However, prior research has largely focused on single elements or simple pairwise interactions, offering insufficient insight into how multiple elements operate together in real-world digital environments. To address this gap, this study adopts a systems perspective to examine multi-element message combinations. Using 1.8 million health-related Weibo posts, we apply clustering analysis to identify recurring combinations and assess their relationships with communication effects. First, four recurring element combinations are identified: Institutional Authority, Narrative, Assertive Appeal, and Contextual Expression. These combinations function as core structures organized around two key elements. Second, stronger communication effects depend not only on core structures but also on peripheral elements aligned with these structures, with combinations of two to four peripheral elements generally showing greater advantages. Third, the optimal level of peripheral complexity varies with source influence, indicating that environmental factors condition the relationship between message combinations and communication effects. These findings show that communication and persuasive effects are shaped by synergies and trade-offs among multiple persuasive elements. Based on this, the study proposes a Core-Periphery-Environment framework to explain how message combinations generate communication effects with persuasive implications on social media. The study extends research from isolated elements to systems combinations and offers practical implications for health communication.

Problem

• multi-element persuasion
• health communication
• social media
• message combinations
• persuasive effects

Innovation

• multi-element persuasion
• core-periphery framework
• synergistic effects
• health communication
• social media messaging