Disclosing the 'real' flaws: how influencer negative self-disclosure enhances influencer authenticity

Abstract

As social media platforms shape consumer trust, understanding how followers perceive authenticity is crucial. Grounded in attribution theory, this study examines how influencer self-disclosure valence affects authenticity perceptions. Attribution theory suggests that negative self-disclosures are more likely to be perceived as intrinsically motivated, enhancing authenticity perceptions, whereas positive disclosures may be attributed to extrinsic, self-serving motives, thereby diminishing authenticity. Across two experiments, results demonstrate that influencers' negative self-disclosures increase perceived authenticity by reducing perceptions of strategic self-presentation. Study 1 shows that influencers who share negative disclosures are perceived as more authentic than those who share positive ones. Study 2 expands on these findings by establishing the mediating role of perceived strategic self-presentation and the moderating role of influencer trustworthiness. Notably, the impact of influencer self-disclosure valence on authenticity is stronger when influencer trustworthiness is low. These findings offer insights for influencer marketing, guiding strategies to cultivate engagement with consumers.