在“选择螺旋”与“适效信息”的理论框架下，本研究探索网帖标题长度对点击阅读和点击转发的影响。标题影响阅读、转发、再阅读、再转发的循环行为，从而推动、影响和定调信息螺旋的启动、运转、扩张、式微与消逝。在信息螺旋中，标题的特性（变量）构成起始的选择因素，而长度是无数选择因素中的最基本因素之一。在此理论指导下，本研究从今日头条爬取了三个星期全部五万八千条网帖标题和用户行为数据进行分析。主要发现包括：一是，两个∩（倒U）效应：极短或极长的标题，使网帖的点读与点转趋于零；27-28个字符的网帖赢得最高点读，19-20个字符的网帖获得最高点转。二是，螺旋协调：关于题长，读者偏好与转者偏好相协调，两群体共同决定被转发的标题的长度，从而影响后续螺旋的内容。其中，点读对点转的影响正向而强力，使得读者群体对转发内容的影响强于转者群体的影响。读对转的“强正效应”构成强化螺旋的强力引擎。

This preliminary study investigated the impact of title length on online read and relay, which was based on over 58,000 postings on a mega platform of information aggregation. Two ∩ (inverted-U, IU) effects were found. Postings with 27-28 Hanzi characters per title predicted the largest number of clicks to read while 19-20 Hanzi predicted the highest relay. The authors proposed three principles, which are sufficiency, efficiency, and retrain (SER) of information, as a possible explanation for the first IU curve.

The authors also proposed a mechanism of social negotiation as a possible explanation for the relationship between the two IU curves. It was speculated that the readers preferred moderate title lengths, with 27-28 characters as the optimum, while the relayers preferred short titles, the shorter the better. The outcome of the negotiation was a social compromise shown as the IU-shaped total effect of title length on the relay, with 19-20 characters as the optimum. The IU shape reflected the readers’ preference, while the shorter optimum reflected the relayers’ preference. Studies using larger data were called for to test the theories.

A functionalist approach to statistical tests and p values was taken, which emphasizes effect sizes and encourages the use of “statistical acknowledgment” in the place of the conventional “statistical significance.” Percentage coefficient (b_p) was employed as a main indicator of effect sizes, for interpretation and comparison.