TikTok creators perform ‘roles’ when sharing their hereditary cancer stories, shaping the health information they share

A new study has explored how people with hereditary cancer identify on TikTok.

The study, published in the journal Social Media + Society, focuses on two hereditary cancer conditions: BReast CAncer (BRCA) and Lynch Syndrome—carriers of which have a much higher disposition to getting certain types of cancer in their lifetime.

Researchers carried out a qualitative content analysis on 100 TikTok videos and found that identity is performed through the adoption of “roles”; through playing parts and adopting characters in certain situations and contexts.

Content creators were found to play various roles when talking about hereditary cancer including the celebrator, the defender, and the mentor.

Explaining how these practices have implications for social media users, Dr. Hannah Ditchfield and Dr. Stefania Vicari, from the School of Sociological Studies, Politics and International Relations, said, “Our analysis provides insight into the type of content users are exposed to when seeking information and support in relation to their hereditary cancer diagnosis on TikTok.”

This study looks at cancer communication, especially in relation to hereditary cancer and social media, and adds to discussions on how existing understandings of identity performance are being challenged by the changing logics of TikTok: a platform argued to be less about social connection and interpersonal interaction and driven by distinctive algorithmic processes.

Dr. Ditchfield and Dr. Vicari added, “While acknowledging the importance of work that has highlighted changes in sociality on TikTok, our findings have prompted us to argue that we should not dismiss the relevance and existence of interpersonal interaction and associated concepts in identity performance on this platform.”

A new study has explored how people with hereditary cancer identify on TikTok.

The study, published in the journal Social Media + Society, focuses on two hereditary cancer conditions: BReast CAncer (BRCA) and Lynch Syndrome—carriers of which have a much higher disposition to getting certain types of cancer in their lifetime.

Researchers carried out a qualitative content analysis on 100 TikTok videos and found that identity is performed through the adoption of “roles”; through playing parts and adopting characters in certain situations and contexts.

Content creators were found to play various roles when talking about hereditary cancer including the celebrator, the defender, and the mentor.

Explaining how these practices have implications for social media users, Dr. Hannah Ditchfield and Dr. Stefania Vicari, from the School of Sociological Studies, Politics and International Relations, said, “Our analysis provides insight into the type of content users are exposed to when seeking information and support in relation to their hereditary cancer diagnosis on TikTok.”

This study looks at cancer communication, especially in relation to hereditary cancer and social media, and adds to discussions on how existing understandings of identity performance are being challenged by the changing logics of TikTok: a platform argued to be less about social connection and interpersonal interaction and driven by distinctive algorithmic processes.

Dr. Ditchfield and Dr. Vicari added, “While acknowledging the importance of work that has highlighted changes in sociality on TikTok, our findings have prompted us to argue that we should not dismiss the relevance and existence of interpersonal interaction and associated concepts in identity performance on this platform.”