Document Type
Essay
Publication Date
5-7-2026
Abstract
This study investigated the relationship between YouTube comment participation and emotional valence. We hypothesized that highly negative-valenced comments would generate higher engagement (likes and replies), based on prior research showing that emotionally intense content drives interaction. Fifty comments from ten popular videos across five categories (shopping, music, gaming, news, and sports) were analyzed using linguistic indicators (language and emojis) and intensifiers (capitalization, exclamation points, profanity). Each comment was assigned a dominant valence and a Likert scale rating. Engagement was measured by likes per view and replies per view. Results showed a negative correlation between emotional valence and replies. Despite trending in the expected direction, the connection between emotional valence and likes per view was not statistically significant. Additionally, there was a strong correlation between likes and responses, indicating that highly engaged comments typically receive both types of interaction. These results are consistent with previous research on the increased impact of negative emotional content in online environments. Results are limited by small sample size, subjectivity, and lack of causal inference. Future research should look into using sentiment analysis tools and control for YouTube algorithmic effects.
Recommended Citation
Britton, Lydia '27, "A Content Analysis of Emotional Valence and Engagement in YouTube Comments" (2026). Student Research. 669, Scholarly and Creative Work from DePauw University.
https://scholarship.depauw.edu/studentresearchother/669
Comments
Completed as part of Dr. Matthew Hertenstein's PSY 371: Emotions Across the Lifespan.