The study, published in MIS Quarterly, introduces the Tripartite Reactions to Emotions theory, or TRE theory, a framework designed to explain how people process emotional content online. Online readers do not simply evaluate what a post says; they also assess the person who says it. The interaction among these three reactions helps explain why online emotional content can have results that seem inconsistent. Conventional models that treat emotional content as having one overall effect may overlook these competing psychological processes. Applying the TRE framework could encourage more precise analysis of online influence, including whether emotional content changes beliefs, behavior, source credibility or mood.