The Frictionless Path to Following: Low Persuasive Intent, Reactance Reduction, and the Reorganization of SDT Mechanisms in Short-Form Media

Abstract

Short-form video platforms, such as TikTok, create a persuasive environment in which users rapidly infer persuasive intent and readily resist content perceived as strategic or controlling. Drawing on self-determination theory (SDT), this study examines how low persuasive intent (LPI) influences voluntary follow intention (VFI) through three autonomy-related psychological mechanisms: perceived autonomy support (PAS), self-initiated engagement (SIE), and reactance-reduction compliance (RRC). Survey data from 268 daily TikTok users were analyzed using PLS-SEM. The results show that LPI significantly increased SIE and RRC but exerted an adverse effect on PAS and had no direct impact on VFI. While SIE did not predict substantially voluntary following, RRC emerged as a strong predictor of VFI. Bootstrap analyses further confirmed that LPI affects VFI primarily through RRC, indicating that following decisions in short-form environments arise less from enhanced autonomy or increased engagement than from the absence of psychological resistance. These findings identify a boundary condition of SDT within algorithmically curated short-form media and reveal a friction-based persuasion pathway through which low-pressure content facilitates commitment. The study contributes theoretical clarity by disentangling autonomy-related micro-processes. It offers practical insights for creators and marketers operating in environments where reducing perceived pressure may be more influential than increasing engagement or relational cues.