Facebook Activity Research Articles

Towards a European public sphere? A comparative study of the Facebook activities of Danish and Spanish members of the European Parliament

This comparative study examines the everyday Facebook activities of all Danish and Spanish members of the European Parliament (MEPs), and the extent to which there is a real political conversation between citizens and European representatives. Through content analysis, it analyzes the Facebook practices of a significantly under-studied population (MEPs) during a non-campaign period (January 15 to February 15, 2017) while most of recent research has overwhelmingly focused on campaign periods. The results show that both Danish and Spanish MEPs are generously present and active on Facebook, but that they are less popular than their national counterparts. The study shows that Danish MEPs use Facebook in a clearly more dialogue-oriented way than their Spanish colleagues. Their updates often lead to conversations between followers, and they frequently take part in these political discussions, while Spanish MEPs tend to limit their Facebook practices to content publication, avoiding citizen conversation.

Connecting activities on Social Network Sites and life satisfaction: A comparison of older and younger users

Social Network Sites (SNSs) have been found to promote psychological well-being of individuals through bonding and bridging social capital by allowing users to engage in different networking activities with their close and weak ties. However, these findings primarily focus on younger population or adopt simplistic measures of SNS use without distinguishing different activities, leaving how specific SNS uses may affect older users' psychological well-being unclear. This study examined the effects of engaging in different Facebook activities on older users over 50 as compared to younger adults between 18 and 25, using Facebook behavioral data in conjunction with survey data. Drawing from Socioemotional Selectivity Theory and Uses and Gratification theory, it tested different effects of SNS activities on older and younger users’ psychological well-being. We found that compared to younger adults, older adults benefit less from having a large network and more from engaging in directed communication activities.

Peer Scaffolding in Promoting Critical Thinking Engagement

This study investigates the potential of the peer scaffolding technique in promoting students’ critical thinking engagement. It was conducted using a quantitative descriptive research design. A problem-solving approach was applied in designing the learning activities in Facebook. The Facebook discussion transcripts were analysed using content analysis and social network analysis techniques. The findings showed that offering feedback and offering opinion from the Content dimension were the dominant types of peer scaffolding techniques among students, whereas, for students’ critical thinking engagement, Clarification was the dominant level. Meanwhile, the correlation analysis showed a high and significant relationship between the peer scaffolding applied and the level of critical thinking engagement, compared to the peer scaffolding received and the level of critical thinking engagement. The peer scaffolding patterns applied in promoting high levels of critical thinking engagement were offering cues and offering explanations. In conclusion, peer scaffolding techniques should be utilised in learning, as they encourage students to enhance their critical thinking engagement through the interaction process.

Delivering a Post-Partum Weight Loss Intervention via Facebook or In-Person Groups: Protocol for a Randomized Feasibility Pilot Trial.

BackgroundPostpartum weight retention contributes to long-term weight gain and obesity for many women. Lifestyle interventions with numerous visits are logistically challenging for many postpartum women. Delivering a lifestyle intervention via social media may overcome logistic challenges to participation in in-person weight loss programs.ObjectiveThe objective of this study is to conduct a randomized feasibility pilot trial of a 6-month postpartum weight loss intervention delivered via Facebook or in-person groups with 72 postpartum women with overweight or obesity.MethodsWomen with overweight or obesity who are 8 weeks to 12 months postpartum (N=72) will be recruited from the Hartford, Connecticut community. Eligible participants must also own an iPhone or Android smartphone and be an active Facebook user. Participants will receive a 6-month postpartum weight loss intervention based on the Diabetes Prevention Program lifestyle intervention and adapted for postpartum women. Participants will be randomized to receive the intervention via a private Facebook group or in-person group meetings. Assessments will occur at baseline, weekly during the intervention, at 6 months (at the end of the intervention), and at 12 months. Primary feasibility outcomes are recruitment, sustained participation, contamination, retention, and feasibility of assessment procedures including measurement of costs to deliver and receive the intervention. We will describe 6- and 12-month weight loss as an exploratory outcome.ResultsRecruitment began in September 2018. The first wave of the intervention began in February 2019, and the second wave of the intervention is expected to begin in fall 2019. We anticipate completing follow-up assessments in fall 2020, and results will be analyzed at that time.ConclusionsResults will inform the design of a large randomized controlled trial to assess whether delivering a postpartum weight loss intervention via Facebook is noninferior for weight loss and more cost-effective than delivering the intervention via traditional in-person groups.International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/15530

Active Facebook Users Prefer News Stories Framing Refugees and Immigrants as an Economic and National Problem

After the refugee crisis a new frame of ‘economization’ has become part of the media coverage of refugees and immigrants where they are pictured as a macro-economic burden. It has, however, never been demonstrated whether this framing has also reached media users. In this explorative study, it is shown that news shared on Facebook about economic problems of having refugees and immigrants in Denmark, rather than about the refugee crisis of 2014-2015, creates a high number of interactions (likes, comments, and shares) on Facebook in 2015 but much more pronounced in 2016. In the conclusion it is discussed why these findings are important to our understanding of the economic coverage of the refugee crisis.

Engaging a global Facebook audience with conservation education

Sharing information is a critical component of conservation science. Transferring this information from conservation scientists to the general public can be accelerated with the use of social media. Conservation practitioners and educators can utilize social media to display information, promote causes, and engage the public. Although social media has the potential to be a vessel for conservation education, there are few studies discussing the impact of social media on conservation education or on post timing for a global Facebook audience. To improve the success of these efforts, we sought to understand the effect of day of the week and time of day on Facebook post engagement. Data was collected from the Facebook page of the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), a global leader in cheetah conservation rooted in education, research, and the mitigation of human-wildlife conflict. Friday was the most engaging day while the weekend (Saturday–Sunday) had the lowest engagement. The highest average engagement occurred between 9 AM EST and 10 AM EST and the lowest engagement was found between 5 PM EST and 6 PM EST. It is impossible to reach every person with every post, but scheduling posts or geotargeting specific geographical locations may increase engagement. This study is a starting point for global organizations to analyze their Facebook activity in order to conclude when the most engaging times occur in order to reach as many people as possible. Increasing engagement could increase the discussion of important issues in the field of conservation biology.

Influence of company Facebook activities on recruitment success

Social networking sites (SNSs), such as Facebook, have become a significant part of the employee-recruitment process; many companies use SNSs to achieve their recruitment goals. However, studies on recruitment practices or social media influence have not examined the effect of recruitment activities using SNSs on recruitment success. This study fills this gap by analyzing the impact of various company activities on recruitment success using the vector autoregressive model (VAR). Results demonstrate that, on Facebook, company posts with a general focus, as well as posts containing work or recruitment information, have a positive impact on recruitment success. The authors provide human resources (HR) managers with recommendations on how to shape successful employment marketing campaigns using Facebook as an element of a modern HR multichannel strategy. The authors recommend proactive and permanent engagement on Facebook while simultaneously using traditional channels.

Getting Tagged, Getting Involved with News? A Mixed-Methods Investigation of the Effects and Motives of News-Related Tagging Activities on Social Network Sites

Abstract Coming across news on social network sites (SNS) largely depends on news-related activities in one’s network. Although there are many different ways to stumble upon news, limited research has been conducted on how distinct news curation practices influence users’ intention to consume encountered content. In this mixed-methods investigation, using Facebook as an example, we first examine the results of an experiment (study 1, n = 524), showing that getting tagged in comments to news posts promotes news consumption the most. Based on this finding, we then focus on actively tagging users by investigating news tagging motives/practices with interactive qualitative interviews centered on participants’ Facebook activity logs (study 2, n = 13). Overall, the findings show how news tagging, albeit a strong catalyst for reading and interacting with news, mostly favors users already interested in news, thus challenging the optimistic assumption that SNS might foster incidental learning among less interested audiences.

Rethinking social media for qualitative research: The use of Facebook Activity Logs and Search History in interview settings

Following calls to rethink the repertoires of social research and take advantage of the new possibilities opened by digital data and devices, this article discusses the opportunities and challenges of using Facebook Activity Logs (FAL) and Search History (FSH) as digital probes during interviews. Drawing on empirical data, the article outlines the value of using social media features in qualitative research with regard to generating thick data and encouraging people to reflect upon the range of everyday practices captured by the platforms. This article argues, however, that to use social media features and data in interview settings researchers need to carefully identify and examine the different forms of liveliness generated by their use and the ways in which liveliness mediates and affects the research data and the situation of the interview itself. The article contends that critically engaging with the liveliness generated by these types of probes in interview settings will allow researchers to better discern how digital platforms and data can inform social enquiry while simultaneously forming a part of how we know social lives and practices.

Through a Screen Darkly: Use of Computer-Mediated Communication Predicts Emotional Functioning.

Despite the pervasive use of computer-mediated communication, relatively little is known about its implications for emotional adjustment. Recent studies suggest that a preference for computer-mediated communication over other types of communication is associated with emotional vulnerabilities, and its active forms (e.g., direct communication) confer psychosocial benefits compared its passive forms (e.g., browsing Facebook). In this study, we simultaneously examined quality, quantity, and preferences for computer-mediated communication in relation to emotional competencies (emotion detection and regulation) and emotional well-being (self-report of mood and anxiety symptoms). In Study 1, participants (N = 123) completed a facial morphing task, a computerized assessment of the speed and accuracy of emotion detection, and the Social Media and Communication Questionnaire assessing quantity and preferences to communicate via computer-mediated communication versus face-to-face. More use of computer-mediated communication along with preferring it for casual communication, was associated with faster and more accurate emotion detection. More use of computer-mediated communication, along with preferring it for positive communication and expressing distress, was associated with more difficulties with emotion regulation. Study 2 (N = 32) added a task-based assessment of active and passive Facebook use in relation to measures of emotional functioning in Study 1. More active Facebook use was associated with greater emotional well-being, whereas more passive Facebook use was associated with less emotional well-being. Active and passive Facebook use was not significantly associated with self-report of broader computer-mediated communication preferences. Together, results suggest that greater use and preference for computer-mediated versus face-to-face communication may be related to heightened emotional sensitivity and more problems with emotion regulation, yet active versus passive use may serve to bolster emotional well-being.

Facebook: An Emerging Arena for Politics of Self-Determination in northern Cyprus?

ABSTRACTThe present article aims to expand scholarship on the political role of social media by focusing on the case of Facebook and the self-determination claims of Turkish Cypriots vis-à-vis Turkey. Drawing upon a virtual ethnography of relevant Facebook sites and groups, this article scrutinises whether social media offer an innovative public platform for the politics of self-determination or on-line claims are in reality formed and negotiated in the same manner as the offline ones. The article concludes that Turkish Cypriots’ Facebook activism may very well be for strengthening their community, shielding their distinct characteristics from mainland Turkey and raising their self-esteem, rather than indicating demands for complete autonomy in the traditional political sense of the word and/or statehood.

The good, the bad and the ugly: Three faces of social media usage by local governments

This article explores the determinants of local governments' use of social networking sites. It does so by analysing the relative impact of institutional, political and social determinants, while controlling for the impact of mayors' traits and social characteristics of municipalities on local governments levels of activity on Facebook. Empirically, this article presents a within-case analysis of Portuguese municipalities' activity on social media, aiming to shed light on the strategic use of social media by local governments. A coherent picture associated with politically pro-active local governments emerges from the results: higher levels of social media activity appear in municipalities with more competitive local elections and higher commitment to transparency. Moreover, findings suggest that local governments tend to be concerned with the low levels of voter turnout, potentially resorting to social media as a powerful tool to increase civic engagement and (offline) political participation. Levels of Facebook activity are significantly higher in larger and wealthier municipalities. The results indicate that Facebook official pages of municipalities are part of a larger arsenal of tools to promote political engagement and activity levels signal a propensity to involve citizens pro-actively.

I present myself and have a lot of Facebook-friends – Am I a happy narcissist!?

For many people, Facebook use has become part of daily life. Earlier research hypothesized that one reason for the high popularity of this social platform is its association with subjective well-being and specific personality traits. In the present study, self-report data and objective data from Facebook pages of 328 Facebook users were analyzed. Results revealed a significant positive association of active Facebook use with subjective happiness and narcissism. Its relationship with depression symptoms was significantly negative. Furthermore, active Facebook use significantly positively mediated the positive link between narcissism and happiness. This finding contributes to the understanding why narcissistic individuals who usually search for attention and admiration to increase their self-esteem often engage in intensive active Facebook use.

Using Facebook To Recruit Pregnant Women for Research.

An estimated 80% of clinical trials fail to meet recruitment and enrollment goals. Recruitment can be even more challenging when vulnerable populations are the focus of the study. This problem may be mitigated with the use of contemporary and innovative methods such as Facebook recruitment. The purpose of this brief is to detail an account of diversifying recruitment strategies with the use of Facebook to recruit pregnant women into research. This brief was derived from a parent study that aimed to examine relationships among social determinants of health, psychophysiological stress, and mental health in pregnant women. A Facebook account was created in which the principal investigator (PI) sought permission and posted in private Facebook groups about the research study. All data reported and analyzed in this brief are frequencies of Facebook activity including, likes, shares, comments, referrals (i.e., tags), and participants enrolled. Target enrollment for the parent study was met, with a total enrollment of 82 participants. The PI gained approval from 100% of the 61 private Facebook groups. Over 75% of the total sample was recruited in 48 days via Facebook. The greatest frequency of likes, shares, comments, and referrals by the recruitment flyer were generated from the sell/trade/jobs page. However, the greatest frequency of participants enrolled viewed the flyer in Facebook groups focused on parent discussion. Facebook groups classified as events, nonparent discussion, and miscellaneous were generally unsuccessful in yielding participants. In order to decrease the time lag between research and practice, and to enroll more participants, innovative strategies are necessary. Although there is evidence that Facebook was useful in recruiting a sample of pregnant women into research, Facebook may also be a useful resource in recruiting other populations into research as well.

Community detection in facebook activity networks and presenting a new multilayer label propagation algorithm for community detection

The emergence of online social networks has revolutionized millions of web users’ behavior so that their interactions with each other produce huge amounts of data on different activities. Community detection, herein, is one of the most important tasks. The very recent trend is to detect meaningful communities based on users’ interactions or the activity network. However, in many of such studies, authors consider the basic network model while almost ignoring the model of the interactions in the multi-layer network. In this research, an experimental study is done to compare community detection in Facebook friendship network to that of activity network, considering different activities in Facebook OSN such as sharing. Then, a new community detection evaluation metric based on homophily is proposed. Eventually, a new method of community detection based on different activities in Facebook social network is presented. In this method, we generalized three familiar similarity methods, Jaccard, Common Neighbors and Adamic-Adar for multi-layered network model.

Unpacking the process of privacy management and self-disclosure from the perspectives of regulatory focus and privacy calculus

Through the integration of the perspectives from regulatory focus theory and privacy calculus, this study built a model to distinguish between two forms of privacy antecedents (social awareness vs. privacy concerns and prior experience) and privacy behaviors (self-disclosure vs. privacy management). Using survey data collected from 525 active Facebook users, we found that promotion-focused privacy behavior (i.e., self-disclosure) is primarily determined by a promotion-related factor (benefits of social awareness), whereas prevention-focused ones (i.e., privacy management strategies) by prevention-related factors such as privacy concerns. Further, in line with the privacy calculus, we found a significant interaction effect between social awareness and privacy concerns on privacy management strategies. Their effects also vary across privacy management strategies that users employ at different usage stages. The findings demonstrate the utility of our novel research model in examining the dynamic, goal-oriented, and temporal nature of privacy management.

Individual characteristics influencing the sharing of knowledge on social networking services: online identity, self-efficacy, and knowledge sharing intentions

ABSTRACTSocial media have become an important place for individuals with similar interests to exchange opinions and share resources. Ubiquitous collaborative learning environments in SNS have great educational and organisational potential and offer a platform for sharing knowledge. Rising interest in personal factors in knowledge management research calls for a better understanding of how knowledge is shared in SNS-based collaborative learning. Grounded on the theories of planned behaviour and social identity, this study investigates individual characteristics that affect the sharing of knowledge in SNS learning communities. The study also examines whether intent to share knowledge mediates those personal characteristics and sharing of knowledge. Eighty individuals from five active Facebook groups participated in this study. The findings indicate that individual characteristics, such as online personal identity, web-specific self-efficacy, and knowledge-creation self-efficacy significantly predict sharing of knowledge. In addition, intent to share knowledge mediates between the sharing of knowledge and online identity, web-specific self-efficacy, or knowledge-creation self-efficacy. The results reveal a need for customised support and environmental design focusing on online personal identity, web-specific self-efficacy, knowledge-creation self-efficacy, and intent to share knowledge in a knowledge-sharing community on SNS. Implications for the SNS communities and suggestions for further research are discussed.

Forecasting the Number of Monthly Active Facebook and Twitter Worldwide Users Using ARMA Model

In this study, an Auto-Regressive Moving Average (ARMA) Model with optimal order has been developed to estimate and forecast the short term future numbers of the monthly active Facebook and Twitter worldwide users. In order to pickup the optimal estimation order, we analyzed the model order vs. the corresponding model error in terms of final prediction error. The simulation results showed that the optimal model order to estimate the given Facebook and Twitter time series are ARMA[5, 5] and ARMA[3, 3], respectively, since they correspond to the minimum acceptable prediction error values. Besides, the optimal models recorded a high-level of estimation accuracy with fit percents of 98.8% and 96.5% for Facebook and Twitter time series, respectively. Eventually, the developed framework can be used accurately to estimate the spectrum for any linear time series.

Facebook posting activity and the selective amplification of earnings disclosures

This study examines the determinants of Facebook activity levels with a particular focus on Facebook activity around earnings announcements. Facebook activity is generally higher for firms with higher levels of analyst following, individual ownership, and trading volume, indicating that it is responsive to investor demand effects. Facebook activity also increases around earnings announcements, with the increase being largely attributable to posts containing earnings news. In general, therefore, firms use Facebook posts to amplify earnings news. Such activity is selective, however; it is lower for firms with high levels of information asymmetry, for firms reporting earnings that exactly meet the consensus analyst forecast amount, and when the earnings news is negative but the accompanying price movement is positive. Hence, firms appear to use Facebook to manage the level of attention paid to earnings news.

Predicting Facebook addiction and state anxiety without Facebook by gender, trait anxiety, Facebook intensity, and different Facebook activities.

Background and aimsAlthough social networking sites brought giant convenience, many negative effects on users’ psychological well-being need more investigation. This study used a survey to examine Facebook addiction and state anxiety without Facebook. As research shows gender is related to trait anxiety and may interact with trait anxiety to influence state anxiety, we also assess the interaction effect between gender and trait anxiety.MethodsA total of 526 college students in the US participated in the survey. A systematic sampling method was used and an e-mail invitation with the link of the survey was sent to every third student on the students’ e-mail list. Study measures included demographics, trait anxiety, Facebook intensity, different Facebook activities, Facebook addiction, and state anxiety without Facebook. Hierarchical multiple regression was run to test how trait anxiety, gender, Facebook intensity, and different types of Facebook activities predict Facebook addiction and state anxiety.ResultsFacebook use intensity predicts Facebook addiction (β = 0.573, p < .001) and state anxiety (β = 0.567, p < .001). Facebook use for broadcasting positively predicts Facebook addiction (β = 0.200, p < .01) and state anxiety (β = 0.171, p < .01). Trait anxiety positively predicts Facebook addiction (β = 0.121, p < .05) and state anxiety (β = 0.119, p < .05). Gender interacts with trait anxiety and jointly predicts Facebook addiction (β = 0.201, p < .01).Discussion and conclusionsTrait anxiety, Facebook intensity, and broadcasting behavior on Facebook positively predict Facebook addiction and state anxiety. Moreover, gender interacts with trait anxiety, so that the gender difference in Facebook addiction is significant only when trait anxiety is low.