How Perceived Humor Motivates and Demotivates Information Processing of TikTok Videos: The Moderating Role of TikTok Gratifications.

TikTok has been an innovative platform for distributing health messages with its wide appeal to younger audiences. The current study examines how the perceived humor of TikTok videos that promote COVID-19 vaccination influences persuasion through cognitive and affective mechanisms. In a survey study ( N  = 186), perceived humor was a positive predictor of source liking and happiness but was also associated with message discounting. Both source liking and happiness indirectly encouraged pro-vaccination attitudes by motivating message elaboration. In contrast, message discounting reduced elaboration, which discouraged pro-vaccination attitudes. Especially, those who watch TikTok for information gratification counterargued more as perceived humor increased.