Selectively sharing satirical news: Strengthening an empirical understanding of how agreement, mirth, and perceived informativeness contribute to the diffusion of mediated comedy

Drawing from the Theory of Reasoned Action (as embedded within the Integrated Behavioral Model) and adopting a cognitive consistency framework, this survey-based research models how satirical news-induced mirth and perceptions of a satire message's informativeness can serve as mediating mechanisms that elucidate how psychological harmony with a satirical news message can translate into online and offline sharing behavior. This multi-study research (study 1 N = 317; study 2 N = 412) demonstrates that individuals are inclined to share/discuss satirical news when they perceive agreement with the content, experience mirth, and deem the content to have instrumental (informative) value. Study 2 further examines this project's proposed model relative to sharing with likeminded/non-likeminded others. Largely mirroring the study 1 findings, the model of indirect effects is most clearly supported in study 2 when the sharing recipients are likeminded. By focusing on the fundamental roles of cognitive consistency and satirical news content's experiential and instrumental value, this research contributes to strengthening an empirical basis for understanding the conditions in which this unique genre of news information holds appeal, offers utility, and is shared.