Social Influence Research Articles

The power of social media influencers: unveiling the impact on consumers’ impulse buying behaviour

This study investigates the role of communication factors in influencer marketing communication in influencing trust in influencer’s branded posts, subsequently impacting the urge to buy impulsively (UBI). In addition, the study also examines the role of persuasion knowledge as a moderator and product affection as a mediator in the relationship between trust and UBI. The study integrates signalling theory and (SOR) framework to develop a model to be tested through SEM. Results of the data of 481 followers of the influencers unveiled that the credibility of the communication factors plays an essential role in developing trust in influencers ‘posts, which ultimately induces UBI. Product affection mediates the relationship between trust and UBI and people with low levels of persuasion knowledge were found to have more chances of developing UBI. This study provides valuable insights to the markets and advertisers, enabling them to understand the importance of the credibility of the influencer marketing communication factors, which result in favourable consumer attitudinal and behavioural outcomes. Additionally, it addresses the existing knowledge gap concerning the factors that precede trust formation and examines their subsequent influence on UBI.

Pride or Guilt? Impacts of Consumers’ Socially Influenced Recycling Behaviors on Closed-Loop Supply Chains

Problem definition: Social influenced emotions of pride and guilt have been identified by the environmental psychology (EP) literature as crucial drivers impacting recycling behavior, but they have mostly been overlooked in operations management (OM) research. In contrast, EP studies often ignore firms’ operational decisions. We analyze the impacts of both social influence and firms’ operational decisions to provide a comprehensive understanding of consumers’ recycling behaviors, which is essential for realizing remanufacturing’s full potential. Methodology/results: We consider a closed-loop supply chain consisting of a manufacturer selling a single product to a consumer community. Consumers’ recycling behavior depends on both the recycling reward offered by the manufacturer, as well as intrinsic and socially influenced pride (guilt) from recycling (not recycling). We develop an evolutionary game to model consumers’ recycling behavior and characterize the resulting equilibrium recycling rate, which is then integrated into the manufacturer’s decision problem. We characterize the manufacturer’s optimal strategy and the equilibrium recycling rate in four distinct regions defined by both the product’s overall difficulty of remanufacturing and the underlying strengths of consumers’ socially influenced pride and guilt. We show that in settings where the product has a moderately high difficulty of remanufacturing and consumers have stronger socially influenced pride than guilt, the manufacturer optimally induces an interior recycling rate. In such scenarios, there exist win-win pathways in using social influence–based interventions to increase both the manufacturer’s profit and the recycling rate. However, misalignment may occur when consumers substantially care for the product’s recyclability. Managerial implications: This study bridges sustainable OM and EP literature by analyzing how consumers’ socially influenced emotions of pride and guilt affect a manufacturer’s optimal decisions, profits, and the resulting recycling rate. We provide important insights for designing effective and efficient social influence–based interventions to improve recycling rates. Funding: W. Chen was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant 71902017], and C.-L. Tseng was supported by the University of New South Wales UNOVA Knowledge Hub. Supplemental Material: The online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2023.0721 .

A qualitative exploration of participants' perspectives and experiences of novel digital health infrastructure to enhance patient care in remote communities within the Home Health Project.

The Home Health Project, set on Clare Island, five kilometres off the Irish Atlantic coast, is a pilot exploration of ways in which various forms of technology can be utilised to improve healthcare for individuals living in isolated communities. The integration of digital health technologies presents enormous potential to revolutionise the accessibility of healthcare systems for those living in remote communities, allowing patient care to function outside of traditional healthcare settings. This study aims to explore the personal experiences and perspectives of participants who are using digital technologies in the delivery of their healthcare as part of the Home Health Project. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine members of the Clare Island community participating in the Home Health Project. Interviews took place in-person, in June 2023. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were analysed inductively using reflexive thematic analysis. To identify determinants of engagement with the Home Health Project, the data was then deductively coded to the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) and organised into themes. Seven of the possible 14 TDF domains were supported by the interview data as influences on engagement with the Project: Knowledge, Beliefs about capabilities, Optimism, Intentions, Environmental context and resources, Social influences and Emotion. Overall, participants evaluated the Home Health Project as being of high quality which contributed to self-reported increases in health literacy, autonomy, and feeling well supported in having their health concerns addressed. There was some apprehension related to data protection, coupled with a desire for extended training to address aspects of digital illiteracy. Future iterations can capitalise on the findings of this study by refining the technologies to reflect tailored health information, personalised to the individual user.

Implementation and Impact of a Lifting Cushion for Care Home Residents Who Have Fallen.

Falls are a global public health problem and the second leading cause of death from unintentional injury. Globally, approximately 30%-50% of people living in nursing or residential care homes fall each year. Falls have an impact on quality of life and morbidity. Prevention of falls is gold standard care. When falls do occur, implementation of safe strategies to help the person rise is required. Structured risk assessment and the use of a 'lifting' cushion are one such strategy. To evaluate the impact of the lifting cushion on management of falls and assess barriers and facilitators to staff use of the lifting cushion in 18 care homes. Two-phase study involving (i) capturing quantitative pre- and post-cushion implementation data along with comparison of means testing and (ii) theoretically underpinned qualitative semi-structured interviews to explore barriers and facilitators to cushion implementation with inductive and deductive data analysis. The cushion was used a total of 32 times out of 567 post-implementation recorded falls (6% of all falls). Barriers and facilitators to cushion use aligned to the Theoretical Domains Framework include knowledge, skills and confidence, emotion, beliefs about safety and decision processes, environmental context and resources and social influences. The lifting cushion was poorly adopted. Identified barriers to adoption would not be addressed using routine train and cascade processes. We identified facilitators that could be enhanced to promote uptake. Theoretically underpinned implementation strategies, tailored to assess determinants, are known to be more effective; however, this approach has rarely been used in care homes. We have demonstrated a structured approach to implementation of cushion use; this may be transferable to other care home practices. Cae home leaders should be aware that giving information alone will not change practice. Implementation or improvement strategies will be more effective.

How does the use of cryptocurrency affect circular economy practices in manufacturing companies?

In nations facing international pressures, such as sanctions, leaders should attempt to utilize advanced technologies more effectively, while fostering the skills and intelligence of the human resources, and enhancing public confidence in the use of emerging technologies in Industry 5.0. In this article our goal is to investigate the effect of acceptance and use of cryptocurrencies on the circular economy. The theoretical contribution of this research is to enrich the literature related to the factors affecting the adoption of digital currencies and its impact on the circular economy. Also, due to the importance of technology awareness in Industry 5, its effect on the adoption of digital currencies was evaluated. For several decades, Iran has been exposed to political and economic sanctions by the United Nations Security Council, the US, and the European Union (EU). Given the importance of natural resources in Iran's economy, and the presence of barriers regarding financial transactions, all manufacturing companies working in Iran were selected as the statistical population of the current study. The findings showed that variables like the realized ease of use, the realized efficiency, trust, technological intelligence and social influence have been effective on the acceptance and use of cryptocurrencies. Also, use of cryptocurrencies in manufacturing companies has had effect on the circular economy activities. The other research results revealed that the factor of economic sanction in the studied society might have effect on the use of cryptocurrencies and consequently companies’ circular economy. The policy-makers active in the field of the environment, and also managers of manufacturing companies by creating an infrastructure for financial exchange based on digital currency can provide the needed ground for production in line with the environment and sustainable resource management.

The Impact Of Organizational Culture On EProcurement Implementation In Public Sector Organizations In Ghana

Purpose – This study aims to assess the impact of organizational culture on e-procurement implementation in public sector organizations in Ghana Design/Methodology/approach- Employing an explanatory design, this study used an in-depth interview guide and case study analysis. Three organizations implementing e-procurement were selected using purposive sampling. Data was collected through structured interviews with six respondents from each organization, which focused on the impact of organizational culture on e-procurement implementation. Findings- The data was analyzed thematically on Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Social Influence and Facilitating Conditions. Cultures promoting innovation, inclusivity and excellence boost performance expectations. Emphasizing adaptability, customer-centricity and efficiency eases system use. Inclusivity, open communication and collaborative decision-making improve social acceptance while facilitating conditions like empowerment and accountability ensures long-term sustainability. These traits were evident in Organizations A, B, and E, which aligned with organizational values with e-procurement system requirements. Social implication – The findings from the study could help policy makers know the dominant organizational culture in the public sector and how the public organizations can foster collaboration and excellence through adaptability, user-centric design and comprehensive training, reducing perceived effort in e-procurement systems. Originality/Value – This study is one of the limited empirical qualitative type of research aimed at providing a comprehensive understanding of the impact of organizational culture on the implementation of e-procurement within public organizations in Ghana. The findings give insights to policymakers regarding the relationship between organizational culture and the implementation of e-procurement in the public sector

WHAT IS EMO-DECISION-MAKING CONTAGION? THE CONCEPT AND MECHANISMS

Objective: This article aims to present a new topic for the marketing literature: emo-decision-making contagion. This concept is developed from Hatfield et al.’s (2014, 1994) work and the research conducted by Pire-Lechalard and Van-Hoorebeke (2021) in the context of decision-making. Theoretical Framework: The decision depends on emotion. However, emotion has a primordial characteristic, namely its contagiousness (Chaabi, 2023; Pire-Lechalard & Van-Hoorebeke, 2021). Hence the genesis of the concept of emo-decision-making contagion. Until now, the study of this concept has been ignored in the marketing field, and researchers focus, rather, on ad hoc concepts such as social influence. This article attempts, through a well-defined methodology, to define emo-decision-making contagion and establish its theoretical underpinnings, so that it is useful and beneficial for marketing practitioners. Method: To penetrate the experiences of the respondents and explore the human constructions around emo-decision-making contagion, a qualitative study was conducted with a sample of 30 individuals. Therefore, we chose the interview as the data collection method. Similarly, to ensure greater consistency in this exploratory study, we limited our focus to a specific area: fashion products, specifically textile items. Results: The results indicate that this concept is defined as the propensity of individuals to reproduce and copy the purchasing decisions of a group leader unconsciously and massively. These decisions are intended to serve as a lesson and are transmitted through the sharing of emotions with the members of the group and identification with them, to have a specific result or to be in conformity with this group. Conclusions: As emo-decision-making contagion does indeed exist, it is suggested to focus on the study of this concept, which can be a very effective and attractive strategy in communication and advertising, and understanding the mechanisms underlying EDMC can help marketers improve their commercial approaches or develop better ones.

Efficiency Gains through Social Influence in a Minimum Effort Game

We explore the role of social influence in coordinating effort choice in a game with strategic complementarities. Agents are repeatedly randomly partitioned into groups to play a minimum effort game and choose their effort based on their beliefs about the minimal effort among the other group members. Individual expectations about this minimal effort are influenced by their own experience and by communication of beliefs within a social network. We show that increasing the importance of social influence in the expectation formation process has positive effects on the emerging (long-run) effort level, thereby improving the efficiency of the outcome. Furthermore, a more centralized social network leads to higher average efficiency, but also to increased variance of outcomes. Communication of actual minimum effort cannot replace the communication of beliefs as a device fostering the emergence of high long-run effort.

Theoretically informed codesign of a tailored intervention to support pressure ulcer prevention behaviours by older people living in their own homes in the UK and their lay carers: an intervention codesign study (C-PrUP)

ObjectiveTo codesign a theoretically underpinned, healthcare practitioner-mediated, tailored intervention to support housebound older patients and their lay carers to adopt pressure ulcer prevention behaviours.DesignTheoretical domains framework informed codesign.SettingOne geographical area...

It’s a Match: The Impact of Influencer-Message Congruence and Recipients Identity on Perceptions of Rainbowwashing

Companies seek to demonstrate their commitment to social issues, such as supporting the LGBTQ community, through their advertising. When a company engages in advertising that suggests a corporate commitment to the LGBTQ community but does not actually implement it, this is known as rainbowwashing. In two studies, we investigate when individuals perceive this type of woke washing in a social media influencer (SMI) context and the role played by influencer-message congruence and the identity of the recipients. Study 1, an online experiment (N = 113), shows that influencer-message congruence influences the perception of rainbowwashing, which leads to further consequences for the SMIs themselves. In Study 2, a second online experiment (N = 178), we were able to replicate these results and found that members of the LGBTQ community are generally more critical in evaluating advertising that relates to their community, while nonmembers perceive strong rainbowwashing especially when there is a mismatch between influencer and message. Based on our sample, our study provides important insights into the group of people affected by rainbowwashing. Public trust in advertising promises is low due to recent corporate scandals, especially among those directly affected. Companies should provide concrete evidence of their social commitment to restore this trust.

The intersection of child protection and healthcare: Paediatric social admissions

AbstractObjectivesIn the context of a national shortage of specialist placements for children with complex needs in Ireland, this study examines the impact of healthcare professionals' management of paediatric social admissions (PSAs) in paediatric hospital settings, with particular attention to the child protection and welfare challenges encountered.Design and ParticipantsA qualitative research design was utilised, employing semistructured interviews with healthcare professionals as the primary data collection method.FindingsThematic analysis of the interviews identified three principal themes: the spectrum of social admissions, influences and barriers, and the moral imperative of managing PSAs. The study found that social factors significantly influence the management and decision‐making processes in paediatric cases, often resulting in prolonged hospital stays. The findings highlight complex child protection issues, including severe shortages in specialist placements and the frequent discharge of children to environments other than their homes.ConclusionsThe children involved in this study often remained in acute care settings for protracted periods, ranging from 6 months to several years. These extended stays deprived them of normal routines, education, and family life, underscoring substantial child protection concerns. This study calls for urgent systemic improvements to address these issues and ensure that the rights and well‐being of children involved with PSAs are upheld.

Perception of Non-Binary Social Media Users Towards Authentic Non-Binary Social Media Influencers.

This paper explores an authentic way for brands to connect with the non-binary community, an understudied and underserved audience. With a call for better representation, this study is the first to investigate what role non-binary social media influencers (SMIs) may play in filling this gap. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, non-binary social media users were interviewed on their perceptions, thoughts, and feelings of non-binary SMIs. Three superordinate themes were discovered: (1) Motivations for following non-binary SMIs, (2) Popularity Factors of non-binary SMIs, and (3) Representation of the community through non-binary SMIs. The findings may be paired with existing literature to provide a basis for future research on influencer marketing to the non-binary community.

Influencer Marketing, Narrative Transportation, and Consumer Well‐Being: An Exploration of How Virtual Influencers Impact Followers' Well‐Being

ABSTRACTWith recent advancements in technologies such as artificial intelligence and computer‐generated imagery, virtual influencers (VIs) have become prominent branding tools that command high engagement rates. Most extant research explores the marketing outcomes of using VIs in brand campaigns. However, little is known about how interacting with VIs on social media platforms may affect consumers' well‐being. This research takes a comprehensive approach, developing a nuanced understanding of whether (and how) human‐like VIs (HVIs) impact consumers' well‐being. We employ a conceptual development approach drawing on scholarship from influencer marketing, narrative transportation, and consumer well‐being and gather additional support for the conceptual framework from data collected by interviewing 25 followers of HVIs. The conceptual framework proposes that when interacting with influencers' social media posts, followers experience narrative transportation, which positively influences followers' hedonic and eudaimonic well‐being. However, the conceptual framework also proposes that these relationships are moderated by the type of influencer (human vs. virtual) sharing the post. Specifically, we suggest that interactions with HVIs provide followers with enjoyment (hedonic well‐being) and support their self‐acceptance, personal growth, relationships, and autonomy (eudaimonic well‐being). We also provide initial evidence of the favorable marketing outcomes of enhanced well‐being from engagement with HVIs, including contemplation of brand purchase. The study thus advances extant VI literature by proposing a theoretically and empirically informed conceptual model that examines HVIs' influence on consumer well‐being. Also, it contributes to addressing the broader calls for research on the impact of social media and influencer marketing on consumer well‐being.

PP319 Topic: AS07–Family Care: Patient and Family Centered Care, Family Presence, Patient and Family Engagement in Research and Care/Patient Diaries/Other: PICU HEALS: HEALING-CENTERED CARE, EQUITY, ACES AWARE, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, AND SOCIAL INFLUENCERS OF HEALTH

PP319 Topic: AS07–Family Care: Patient and Family Centered Care, Family Presence, Patient and Family Engagement in Research and Care/Patient Diaries/Other: PICU HEALS: HEALING-CENTERED CARE, EQUITY, ACES AWARE, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, AND SOCIAL INFLUENCERS OF HEALTH

The Relevance of Demographic Similarity and Factuality in Social Influencer Communication Culture – A Comparison Between Hedonic and Utilitarian Conditions

This work identifies differences in the success factors of influencers given consumers’ consumption goals (hedonic vs. utilitarian). Although practitioners have complained about the lack of know-how regarding this issue, research on the topic remains scarce. Hypotheses on the differing relevance of the demographic similarity of influencers and consumers and of the factuality of influencers’ communication are verified through an empirical investigation. The scenario is consumers’ selection of a hotel for (1) a holiday (hedonic consumption goal) or (2) a professional/university seminar (utilitarian consumption goal). The results are analyzed by structural equation modeling and multigroup analysis. We generate some surprising results. Counterintuitively, demographic similarity is more important under utilitarian than hedonic conditions. Factuality seems equally important in both conditions. Explanations and implications of these findings are provided.

Is epistemic injustice a worthy application to mental health nurse education?

This paper explores the philosophical concept of epistemic injustice and contends its significance and relevance to mental health nurse education and clinical practice. The term epistemic injustice may be unfamiliar to mental health nurses, yet the effects are readily visible in the dismissing, silencing, and doubting of service users' knowledge, testimony, and interpretation. Existing professional values and clinical standards lack depth and critical exploration pertaining to epistemology and associated ethical concerns. Despite central tenets of person-centred care and valuing the service users' voice, epistemic injustice continues to occur. Epistemic injustice cannot be summed up merely by asking nurses to listen to service users. This represents an oversimplification of epistemology, ignoring the complexities of social influence and knowledge exchanges. Epistemic injustice brings something new and innovative to the nursing curriculum and fits within the principles of heutagogy. It encourages deep reflexivity surrounding the ethical issues of power inequalities and intersectionality. Inclusion in mental health nursing education allows for the social and political powers of psychiatric diagnosis as a form of silencing and stigma to be examined. Practical application is made to mental health nursing education and practice with epistemological values and ethical reflexive prompts. These can be utilised by educators and lecturers for pre-registration mental health nurse education, post-registration, and continued professional development.

Determinants of Students' Decisions to Use Paylater Digital Financial Products

The use of digital financial technology is increasingly widespread among society, especially among students who are digitally active. One product that is increasingly popular is PayLater. This research aims to analyze the influence of digital financial literacy, lifestyle, social influence, and ease of use on the decision to use PayLater among students in Malang City. The t test is used as a data analysis method. The unit of analysis in this research is students who live in Malang, totaling 106 respondents. The research results show that digital financial literacy, lifestyle, social influence, and ease of use influence students' decisions to use digital financial products such as PayLater. It is hoped that this research will provide a deeper understanding of the factors that influence the use of PayLater among students and the implications for future financial management policies and practices.

Các yếu tố ảnh hưởng đến ý định mua trước trả sau đối với hình thức thanh toán trực tuyến của thế hệ Z

In recent years, Buy Now - Pay Later forms of payment are becoming popular, however, the core basic principle of “Buy Now Pay Later” in providing credit Interest-free benefits for consumers are being challenged by inflation and rising interest rates. This study was conducted to build a model to study factors affecting the intention to buy now - Pay later for online payment methods of generation Z, including: (1) Perceived benefits, (2) Perceived ease of use, (3) Perceived risks,(4) Digital financial knowledge, (5) Social influence. Using a survey of 306 sample members, the authors concluded that the Social Influence factor has the strongest impact on the intention to use Buy now - Pay later for customers. with the online payment method of generation Z. From there, the authors propose appropriate solutions to help the government, consumers and businesses doing business on e-commerce platforms.

Exercise Habits and Mental Health Outcomes among Students in a Technology University in China

This study employed a descriptive-comparative-correlational research approach to examine the relationship between students' exercise habits and their mental health outcomes at a multi-disciplinary university in Zhengzhou, Henan Province. The college of physical education, which provides training across 22 colleges and 73 undergraduate majors, served as the study’s setting, involving a large sample of 32,760 undergraduate students. Using stratified random sampling, the researchers selected a representative sample of 380 students, with a 5% margin of error, to identify patterns and explore relationships between exercise habits and mental health. A structured questionnaire, developed to assess exercise habits and mental health, underwent content and face validation, with reliability measured using Cronbach’s Alpha (0.980 and 0.974). Data collection took place in person, with the results processed using SPSS and analyzed through means, standard deviation, and Pearson’s r correlation. Findings indicated significant positive correlations between various dimensions of exercise habits—including routine stability, goal persistence, adaptability to change, and social influences—and mental health outcomes such as stress levels, coping mechanisms, social support, sleep quality, and access to mental health resources. Notably, adaptability to change exhibited the highest correlation with coping mechanisms and overall mental health (r = 0.804), underscoring the importance of flexible exercise routines in managing mental health. The study’s insights emphasize that consistent, varied, and socially supported exercise habits are associated with reduced stress, enhanced coping strategies, and improved overall mental health. Promoting regular physical activity and addressing barriers to exercise can foster better mental health among students, suggesting the need for integrated physical and mental health programs within academic institutions.

The development of the self-other distinction in perceptions of social influence.

Prior research documents that adults in Western cultures perceive others as more susceptible to social influence than themselves (Pronin et al., 2007). Study 1 (N = 318) investigated the cultural generalizability of this asymmetric perception effect by examining young adults in South Korea, where conformity is relatively valued, and a comparison sample of young adults in the United States. The results documented that, counter to theoretical accounts emphasizing the centrality of motivated reasoning, the self-other distinction was just as strong in South Korea as it was in the United States. Study 2 (N = 102) examined the development of this tendency among 6- to 12-year-old South Korean children and showed that this asymmetry is first present at around age 9. These findings suggest that asymmetric perceptions of conformity are robust and emerge over the course of development. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).