Table 3 Components of critical thinking as a digital skill for the 21st century, and their adaptation for processing of influencer-generated content.
Component | Critical thinking as a digital skill of the 21st century (Van Laar, 2019) | Critical thinking for processing influencer-generated content | Sample quote |
|---|---|---|---|
Clarification | Question and answer to clarify subject matter | Question the persuasive intent of the content. | “She is an influencer and with each piece of content, she earns more money” (FG2, girl) |
Evaluation | Evaluate the appropriateness of a source. | Evaluate the appropriateness of the platform, the influencer, and/or the recipient of the message (friend, acquaintance, relative). | “Those influencers share gossip and similar content, which makes then less reliable as a source of information” (FG3, girl). |
Justification | Present evidence to support statements using personal experiences, memories, testimonies, reasoning, replication, and other relevant sources. | Provide supporting arguments for reasoning, opinions and preferences preferably with relevant examples and personal experiences. | “His sense of humor always makes me laugh and I find myself drawn to following people who, specialize in comedy or dance, since I have a real passion for dancing myself” (FG1, girl). |
Linking of Ideas | Connect facts, ideas and concepts derived from experiences. | Draw connections between knowledge, daily experiences and the phenomenon of influencer marketing. | “They create controversy to increase their views and ultimately earn more money through sponsorships” (FG10, girl). |
Novelty | Propose novel ideas for discussion. | Propose innovative solutions to enhance the practice of influencer marketing. | “Some things can be promoted, but for others it’s not appropriate to do so and should be left to the expertize of a doctor” (FG7, girl). |
