Essays on Social Media, Social Influence, and Social Comparison

Essays on Social Media, Social Influence, and Social Comparison PDF Author: Qian Tang
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 248

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Book Description
Social networking and social media technologies have greatly changed the way information is created and transmitted. Social media has made content contribution an efficient approach for individual brand building. With abundant user generated content and social networks, content consumers are constantly subject to social influence. Such social influence can be further utilized to encourage pro-social behavior. Chapter 1 examines the incentives for content contribution in social media. We propose that exposure and reputation are the major incentives for contributors. Besides, as more and more social media websites offer advertising-revenue sharing with some of their contributors, shared revenue provides an extra incentive for contributors who have joined revenue-sharing programs. We develop a dynamic structural model to identify a contributor's underlying utility function from observed contribution behavior. We recognize the dynamic nature of the content-contribution decision--that contributors are forward-looking, anticipating how their decisions impact future rewards. Using data collected from YouTube, we show that content contribution is driven by a contributor's desire for exposure, revenue sharing, and reputation and that the contributor makes decisions dynamically. Chapter 2 examines how social influence impact individuals' content consumption decisions in social network. Specifically, we consider social learning and network effects as two important mechanisms of social influence, in the context of YouTube. Rather than combining both social learning and network effects under the umbrella of social contagion or peer influence, we develop a theoretical model and empirically identify social learning and network effects separately. Using a unique data set from YouTube, we find that both mechanisms have statistically and economically significant effects on video views, and which mechanism dominates depends on the specific video type. Chapter 3 studies incentive mechanism to improve users' pro-social behavior based on social comparison. In particular, we aim to motivate organizations to improve Internet security. We propose an approach to increase the incentives for addressing security problems through reputation concern and social comparison. Specifically, we process existing security vulnerability data, derive explicit relative security performance information, and disclose the information as feedback to organizations and the public. To test our approach, we conducted a field quasi-experiment for outgoing spam for 1,718 autonomous systems in eight countries. We found that the treatment group subject to information disclosure reduced outgoing spam approximately by 16%. Our results suggest that social information and social comparison can be effectively leveraged to encourage desirable behavior.

Essays on Social Media, Social Influence, and Social Comparison

Essays on Social Media, Social Influence, and Social Comparison PDF Author: Qian Tang
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 248

Get Book Here

Book Description
Social networking and social media technologies have greatly changed the way information is created and transmitted. Social media has made content contribution an efficient approach for individual brand building. With abundant user generated content and social networks, content consumers are constantly subject to social influence. Such social influence can be further utilized to encourage pro-social behavior. Chapter 1 examines the incentives for content contribution in social media. We propose that exposure and reputation are the major incentives for contributors. Besides, as more and more social media websites offer advertising-revenue sharing with some of their contributors, shared revenue provides an extra incentive for contributors who have joined revenue-sharing programs. We develop a dynamic structural model to identify a contributor's underlying utility function from observed contribution behavior. We recognize the dynamic nature of the content-contribution decision--that contributors are forward-looking, anticipating how their decisions impact future rewards. Using data collected from YouTube, we show that content contribution is driven by a contributor's desire for exposure, revenue sharing, and reputation and that the contributor makes decisions dynamically. Chapter 2 examines how social influence impact individuals' content consumption decisions in social network. Specifically, we consider social learning and network effects as two important mechanisms of social influence, in the context of YouTube. Rather than combining both social learning and network effects under the umbrella of social contagion or peer influence, we develop a theoretical model and empirically identify social learning and network effects separately. Using a unique data set from YouTube, we find that both mechanisms have statistically and economically significant effects on video views, and which mechanism dominates depends on the specific video type. Chapter 3 studies incentive mechanism to improve users' pro-social behavior based on social comparison. In particular, we aim to motivate organizations to improve Internet security. We propose an approach to increase the incentives for addressing security problems through reputation concern and social comparison. Specifically, we process existing security vulnerability data, derive explicit relative security performance information, and disclose the information as feedback to organizations and the public. To test our approach, we conducted a field quasi-experiment for outgoing spam for 1,718 autonomous systems in eight countries. We found that the treatment group subject to information disclosure reduced outgoing spam approximately by 16%. Our results suggest that social information and social comparison can be effectively leveraged to encourage desirable behavior.

Three Essays on Social Media Use and Information Sharing Behavior

Three Essays on Social Media Use and Information Sharing Behavior PDF Author: Sarbottam Bhagat
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Social media platforms create rich social structures, expand users' boundaries of social networks and revolutionize traditional forms of communications, social interactions and social relationships. These platforms not only facilitate the creation and sharing of news and information, but they also drive various kinds of businesses models, processes and operations, knowledge sharing, marketing strategies for brand management and socio-political discourses essential for healthy and democratic functions. As such, social media has greater implications on organizations and society brought about by individuals' social media usage patterns, and therefore, calls for further investigations. The main objective of this dissertation is to explore and offer insights into such social media usage and information sharing behaviors via data driven examination of various theories. This dissertation involves three studies that focus on factors that explain individuals' three different social media usage behaviors. Essay 1 investigates individuals' perceived importance of online affiliation, self-esteem, self-regulation and risk-benefit structure as antecedents of users' geo-tagging behavior on social media. Essay 2 examines the role of online news quality, source credibility, individuals' perception towards online civic engagement, attitude towards news sharing and social influences to understand users' news sharing behavior on social media platforms. Essay 3 seeks to examine the individuals' information verification behavior on social media through the lens of individuals' fake news awareness, perceived cost of information verification, trust in social media and truth-seeking.

Social Media in the 21st Century

Social Media in the 21st Century PDF Author: Walter J. Kahn
Publisher: Nova Science Publishers
ISBN: 9781536198263
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 156

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Book Description
"There can be no doubt that social media has fundamentally transformed how people relate to each other and navigate the social environment of the contemporary era. While social media makes it easier than ever before for people to connect, it can also lead to negative effects on mental health and well-being, as it facilitates social comparison which, ironically, can leave people feeling more isolated and detached. Chapter One of this book explores how social movement actors utilize Instagram to deliver complex political messages and discusses the importance of understanding the possibilities and dangers of social media's influence on political reality. Chapter Two analyses online social comparison from a social psychological perspective and highlights the differences between its occurrence in face-to-face and social media contexts, as well as the implications for mental health. Chapter Three focuses on the influence of Instagram upon millennials' purchase intention via celebrity endorsement and other Instagram visuals, particularly in connection with the use of color and the visual attractiveness of celebrities. Lastly, Chapter Four addresses the semiotic aspects of Instagram by comparing a typical semiotic communication model to Instagram's communication model and explaining design aspects of Instagram's model"--

Essays on Social Influence, Network Effects and Use of Social Media in Impacting Consumer Behavior

Essays on Social Influence, Network Effects and Use of Social Media in Impacting Consumer Behavior PDF Author: Kamer Toker Yildiz
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 99

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Book Description
The wide adoption of the Internet and social media has changed how consumers communicate amongst themselves and how companies communicate with their customers. Therefore, investigating the role of social interactions is important in understanding how consumers influence each other through online as well as offline channels for both marketing researchers, and companies that wish to leverage social media more effectively. This dissertation consists of two essays focusing on social influence, network effects and their marketing implications in today's socially engaged world. The first essay focuses on peer influence and studies the differential impact of online and offline social interactions on consumer's repeat usage behavior, and the effectiveness of monetary incentives in the presence of these social interactions. For this purpose, we develop a modeling framework that parses out the impacts of these individual effects and investigates their relative impact on behavior using a unique data set from a wellness program. We find that the effect of online interactions does indeed vary significantly in the presence of offline interactions and that ignoring the latter may well bias the estimates of the former. Furthermore, our results show that monetary incentives relative to social interactions have a significant, though lesser impact on repeat usage behavior. We finally offer several strategic implications by exploring a variety of scenarios through simulation analysis based on the model estimates. The second essay introduces anonymous others ("non-peer") influence in addition to peer influence and compares the relative influence of these two sources on consumers' product evaluations in an experimental setting. We show that contrary to the existing intuition, peers are not always more influential than non-peers and that the influence of these two sources depends on the proportion of people who endorse the product (i.e. , endorsement status: majority/minority endorsement). Interestingly, we find that peers have more positive influence than non-peers only under minority (but not majority) endorsement (experiment 1). We further show that peer influence manifests under minority endorsement because of consumers' endorsement and product fit perceptions (experiment 2). However, this effect diminishes if the endorsement is framed negatively (experiment 3) and gets stronger when the numeric size of the source is large (experiment 4). We discuss these findings in light of prevailing source influence theories and offer suggestions for marketing actions and firm strategy. We believe that this dissertation contributes not only to the marketing literature but also to other disciplines including social psychology, economics and operations research while offering useful implications for companies leveraging social media for both internal and external purposes.

The Positive and Negative Effects of Social Media

The Positive and Negative Effects of Social Media PDF Author: Edikan Ukpong
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
ISBN: 3346075761
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 5

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Book Description
Essay from the year 2014 in the subject Communications - Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing, Social Media, grade: B (65.3), , language: English, abstract: The effect of Social Networks [media] like facebook, twitter, MySpace, etc is hard to ignore. Nigerian youth alongside their counterpart around the global are fast making the social media become part of their daily activities. That is why it will be of little or no wonder to see number of youths wake up and the first port of call is to update a “good morning” message on facebook or any other social network that appeals to their sense of value. This is a clear picture of the level of participation on the social network. However, technology like two sides of a coin, bring with it both the negative and positive sides. Against all odds, Branston, G. & Stafford, R. in 2010 explains that any debate arising that the effects of the social network (or media) should be handled from two angle of view and considered from two main attitudes so as to harness the effects objectively. They suggest the following as the two attitudes to consider the effect of the social media from, the pessimistic (negative) attitude and the Optimistic/ Utopian (positive) attitude.

A Filtered Life

A Filtered Life PDF Author: Nicole Taylor
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1000509400
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 213

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Book Description
A Filtered Life is the first comprehensive ethnographic account to explore how college students create and manage multiple identities on social media. Drawing on interviews and digital ethnographic data gleaned from popular social media platforms, the authors document and make visible routinized practices that are typically hidden and operating behind the scenes. They introduce the concept of "digital multiples," wherein students strategically present themselves differently across social media platforms. This requires both the copious production of content and the calculated development of an instantly recognizable aesthetic or brand. Taylor and Nichter examine key contradictions that emerged from student narratives, including presenting a self that is both authentic and highly edited, appearing upbeat even during emotionally difficult times, and exuding body positivity even when frustrated with how you look. Students struggled with this series of impossibilities; yet, they felt compelled to maintain a vibrant online presence. With its close-up portrayal of the social and embodied experiences of college students, A Filtered Life is ideal for students and scholars interested in youth studies, digital ethnography, communication, and new forms of media.

Exploring the impact of social media on individuals' self-esteem and body image

Exploring the impact of social media on individuals' self-esteem and body image PDF Author: Hanna Belhorodska
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
ISBN: 3346931269
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 15

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Book Description
Essay from the year 2023 in the subject Communications - Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing, Social Media, grade: C, Paedagogic Institute for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy Hannover, language: English, abstract: Social media offers a plethora of opportunities for individuals to share their thoughts, experiences, and interests with a global audience, blurring the lines between personal and public spheres. Users can post photos, videos, status updates, and engage in real-time conversations, facilitating instant communication and fostering virtual communities. Beyond personal interactions, social media has also emerged as a powerful platform for businesses, influencers, and organizations to reach their target audiences, influencing consumer behaviors and shaping societal trends. The allure of social media lies in its promise of connectivity and belongingness, allowing users to form and maintain social relationships regardless of physical proximity. However, the pervasive nature of these platforms and the constant exposure to a stream of curated content have raised concerns about their potential impact on individuals' psychological well-being. In light of these concerns, researchers and mental health professionals have sought to understand the intricate relationship between social media usage and individuals' psychological well-being, particularly concerning self-esteem and body image. By investigating the potential effects of social media on these aspects, researchers aim to unveil the complexities of virtual interactions and their implications for mental health. This research paper aims to explore the impact of social media on individuals' self-esteem and body image, with a focus on understanding how these platforms influence self-perception, body satisfaction, and overall psychological well-being. By shedding light on this critical area of study, this research intends to provide valuable insights for individuals, parents, educators, mental health practitioners, social media platforms, and policymakers, guiding the development of strategies to promote a healthier and more positive online environment.

Essays on Social Effects and Social Media

Essays on Social Effects and Social Media PDF Author: Tong Bao
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 208

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Book Description
Two significant phenomena emerge from recent internet development: consumers are influenced by social network; and consumers engage in consumption and production of user-generated content. This dissertation studies social influence and social media. In Chapter 1, we study how summer internship employer choices of MBA students at a major university are influenced by the choices made by their fellow students. We develop a simultaneous model of each individual's choice as a function of other students' choices. Our model of interdependence in decision making is structural and equilibrium-based. Also, the model is general enough to allow both positive and negative effects of average group choices on any individual's decision. The structure of our data enables us to identify endogenous social effects separately from exogenous or correlated effects. Specifically, in our data we see each student making choices about whether or not to apply for each job opening; exogenous and correlated effects do not vary in this sample and therefore endogenous effects are identified. We employ a two-stage procedure to address the endogeneity of choices: we estimate empirical choice probabilities in the first stage, and taste parameters for employer attributes and peer influence in the second stage. Our results show that as expected, students prefer jobs with strong employer attributes (e.g. high salary, large firm size). In addition, students are influenced by their peers' choices. However, in contrast to previous studies, we find negative (rather than positive) social effects. That is, strong attributes also make an internship employer less attractive, leading to a lower choice probability relative to cases of zero or positive social effects. This negative social effect is consistent with congestion, i.e. students are aware that a good internship will attract the interest of more students, thus lowering the odds of getting it. We find that these negative social effects are stronger for students with more work experience and stronger GMAT scores. While positive social effect leads to concentration of choices, negative social effect helps prevent concentration. In chapter 2, we analyze how large content-sharing websites operate for companies like Google and Yahoo. A content website provider needs to understand content users to achieve different objectives. Consumers searching content take sampling probability as given in deciding consumption, and producers are motivated by endorsement. Sampling probability is a key policy instrument. Endorsement may explain why a small number of producers generate most content. Individual behaviors alone cannot explain genesis and persistence of sampling probability and endorsement. Two distinguishing features of content-being free and non-rival preclude application of celebrated market equilibrium theory. We develop a content equilibrium from first principles. Consumer and producer can be compatible, and their interaction gives rise to endogenous sampling probability and endorsement. Inequality arises: higher quality producers always earn more endorsement and produce more content; and higher quality content is easier to find. Content system is optimal for consumer welfare despite inequality. Content system possesses a self-organization property to find equilibrium from other less desired states. We use this framework to show policy conflict may arise due to content firm's multiple identities.

Adolescent Health

Adolescent Health PDF Author: Ralph J. DiClemente
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 047045279X
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 610

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Book Description
This book covers the developmental and health problems unique to the adolescent period of life. It focuses on special needs and public health programs for adolescents. It offers deep insight into smoking, violence, teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, and other problems, along with intervention and prevention strategies. "Anyone serious about improving adolescent health should read this book. It spans theoretical and developmental constructs, summaries of evidence-based interventions for adolescent risk behaviors, metrics, and policy recommendations." —S. Jean Emans, MD, chief, Division of Adolescent Medicine, and Robert Masland Jr., chair, Adolescent Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, and professor of pediatrics, Harvard Medical School "This is the one single text that students can use to study adolescent health. It includes contributions from many of the world's most accomplished researchers to provide learners with cutting edge information to make the study of adolescence understandable and applicable in practical settings." —Gary L. Hopkins, MD, DrPH, associate research professor and director, Center for Prevention Research, and director, Center for Media Impact Research, Andrews University "This textbook presents an excellent balance in weighing the evidence from the risk and the resilience literature, incorporating research in racially and ethnically diverse populations." —Renée R. Jenkins, MD, FAAP, professor, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Howard University College of Medicine "This is an engaging, thorough, and thought-provoking statement of our knowledge about adolescence. " —Wendy Baldwin, PhD, director, Poverty, Gender, and Youth Program, Population Council

Social Judgment and Intergroup Relations

Social Judgment and Intergroup Relations PDF Author: Donald Granberg
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1461228603
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 304

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Book Description
Social Judgment and Intergroup Relations: Essays in Honor of Muzafer Sherif is a stimulating collection which paints a crisp and fascinating picture of social psychology during its decades of growth into a mature science. With his important contributions in the study of social norms, attitudes, self concept, group relations, and other areas, Muzafer Sherif was a key figure in the discipline. Each essay in this book illustrates the lasting influence of Muzafer Sherif's seminal work in social psychology.