Applying Cultivation Theory to Explain Factors affecting the Use of Social Software to Gain Virtual Fame

Introduction and statement of the problem: One of the major issues recently raised by the development of electronic tools and thus the creation of web-based communication platforms relates to the topic of virtual fame or so-called being famous. People based on the fame they find, they have an independent identity that can affect other aspects of their lives. The theory of cultivation refers to the dense process in which the media foster beliefs about social reality.  As the framework of cultivation suggests, fame can be described as one of the social realities that change in accordance with media usage.  The theory of cropping implies different ideas in mind.  The present study seeks to examine the factors affecting the use of the social network in the field of virtual fame of individuals by explaining the theory of cultivation.
Theoretical background: Efforts have been made to measure the structure of fame, and to transform this qualitative variable into a quantitative tool.  One of the most famous of which is Eric Schulman's research.  In 2005, Leslie Lamport noted the difference in fame in different geographical areas and different areas of work.  Besides, it distinguished between being famous and very famous.  He also pointed out that different media have different levels of influence and power levels in increasing or decreasing fame.  He distinguished between being famous and lonely, and Lamport himself, for the first time, suggested that fame varies in different geographic regions and different fields of work.  He also acknowledged that different media have different power in changing people's fame.  With the acceptance of Lamport's assumption that different media have a different power of creativity, as well as the media, they have a different power to fame in their audience.  Content produced by the media for different people creates a halo of fame for them.  If the central idea of cultivation theory is to implant a different perspective in the minds of individuals based on the use of the medium, then this theory is largely true of the fame that the media can incite or give better expression to a different quantity than it is for its consumer.  The theory of cultivation consists of two main dimensions: 1. the main flow that harmonizes the views on a particular phenomenon; 2. the exacerbation effect, which enhances the effect of cultivation in a particular group of populations.
Methodology: The present research is applied in terms of purpose, and terms of data collection method, it is a scrolling type.  Since the present research adds to the knowledge available in the field of research variables, it is in the development research group and the sense that its results have the potential to be used within organizations; it is a part of applied research.  The statistical population of this research consists of the students of the Islamic Azad University of Kermanshah who use at least one of the social media.  A random access sampling method has also been used to reach the random students so to collect the data.  The samples were selected based on the Jersey and Morgan table.  The total sample amounted to 384 students of Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah Branch. To meet the convergent validity and divergent validity, we used Cronbach's alpha reliability and hybrid reliability.
Finding and results of data analysis: we used a descriptive and inferential statistical analysis to test the theoretical claim of the research.  The data show that some 53% of samples are men and some 47% are women.  Furthermore, 91% of single students and only 9% are married, and all undergraduate students.  Their age range consisted of two groups: one is between 18 and 21 years old and the second is between 21 to 24 years old, representing 75% and 25% of the total population respectively.  Its reliability is confirmed by the Cronbach alpha, which an internal sustainability measure and hybrid reliability is with values higher than 0.7.  The external load test was also performed to show the fit of the indices for measuring the variables.  The results show that all measures exceeded the desired level of 0.708 meaning the research tools are reliable.  We used the Fornell and Larker methods to explain the divergent validity.  The path coefficient between two predictive and independent structures is 0.62 in the standard state, and a meaningful state is 10.915, which is significant in both cases.  Factor loads on dimensions showed that all factor loads have a value of 0.95 since they all received more than 0.4.  Another criterion for fitting the structural model is the coefficient index, which determines the coefficient of determination of the dependent variable (0.643) at a relatively strong level.
Conclusion: Social functionality includes networking, availability and high speed.  Due to the speed of the present era, as well as the dissemination of network and multi-lingual information and ease of access to data, essential parameters are required for virtual fame.  Cultivation represents the totality of a pattern that, over time, delivers a specific content or effect that can be created in different ways in the mind of the audience.  The next influential factor of social software is the use of photographs, animations and video advertising, which obtained a numerical value of 0.829.  Two other influences include slogans and propaganda as well as symbols and signs that it creates a media halo for people who are somehow considered to be equivalent to an escalation effect.  Most people look at the issues that the mass media presence, and this is one of two important concepts of the theory of cultivation, the mainstream, which refers to the uniformity of views in a community about a particular individual or organization that ultimately leads to the creation of virtual fame.  In today's world, given the tremendous impact of the Internet and the growing use of virtual networks, as well as the significant activity of individuals in virtual networks, they have to take advantage of opportunities and threaten to fight or become an opportunity.  Becoming social networks is one of the most important communication tools at the community and the world, and due to its comprehensive availability to other media, it is necessary to pay attention to their effectiveness.  Given the fact that the growth of fame is based on the homogeneity of views and is also one of the social realities that the media can make of a different amount to its consumer, attention to the factors of social networks and the impact of their use It is vital to know people.
Prominent results: The results of this research showed that there is a significant relationship between different dimensions of social software with virtual fame.  Among these factors, the use of social network functions has the greatest impact on the acquisition of virtual fame of individuals.  According to software outcomes, prediction of the present article model constituted 62% of the popularity of using social software.  According to the results, the most effective factor among the other factors that make up social software for gaining fame is related to the social function factor with a coefficient of 0.886.
Keywords: Social Networks, Virtual Fame, Media, The theory of cultivation.
 
References

Shaverdi, Tahmineh, Jafarzadehpoor, Foroozandeh, Hosseinimoghaddam, Mohammad, (2017). Investigating the Difference between True and Virtual Reputation and the Role of the Media in Recognizing Individuals, New Media Studies Quarterly, volume 3, Issue 10, pp 142-158.
Lamport, Leslie. (2005). Measuring Celebrity, Annals of Improbable Research, volume 12, issue 1, pp. 107-122.
Schulman, Eric. (2016). Measuring Fame Quantitatively (part: V) Who Is The Most Famous of Them All? Annals of Improbable Research, Volume 22, Issue 4, pp. 231-247.