Sosyal Etki Kuramı Bağlamında YouTube Gezi Vlogger’ları Üzerine Nitel Bir İnceleme (A Qualitative Study of Travel Vloggers on YouTube in the Context of Social Impact Theory)

Fulya AKBUĞA

doi:10.63556/jotags.2026.1932

Yazarlar

Fulya AKBUĞA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63556/jotags.2026.1932

Anahtar Kelimeler:

Social influence- Social media- YouTube- Digital culture- Travel vloggers

Öz

This study aims to examine how social influence processes are shaped on the YouTube platform within digital media environments. In the study, user comments posted on the videos of three travel content creators with large follower bases were analyzed through a qualitative approach. The dataset consists of 300 user comments selected from five videos of each content creator. The data were analyzed through thematic analysis and the recurring patterns of meaning identified in the comments were interpreted within the framework of Kelman’s social influence theory. The findings indicate that YouTube comment sections are not merely spaces where individual opinions are expressed, but also digital community spaces where emotional bonds are established and collective meaning-making takes place. This study also demonstrates that social influence processes in digital environments have a multilayered and interactive structure.

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