Non-opinion Leaders Research Articles

Fostering opinion leaders’ pro-environmental behaviour: examining the mediating role of social media expression and the moderating role of mianzi

ABSTRACT This study examines how Chinese citizens’ leadership qualities relate to their intention to engage in pro-environmental behaviour (PEB) and how socio-cultural factors, mianzi (face), may affect this relationship. By conducting a national survey (N = 995) among Chinese social media users, this study finds that those with higher opinion leadership report higher intention to engage in both public-sphere and private-sphere PEBs. Self-perceived opinion leaders are also more willing to express themselves on social media, which consequently promotes their public-sphere PEB intention but not private-sphere PEB intention. In this process, perceived interpersonal trust strengthens opinion leaders’ expressive behaviours on social media. Meanwhile, Mianzi is more effective in boosting non-opinion leaders’ intention to engage in private-sphere PEBs, catching up with self-perceived opinion leaders. These findings shed light on the differences between public- and private-sphere PEBs and provide both theoretical and practical implications for promoting PEB intentions in the Chinese context.

Sentiment analysis of tweet content on Hurricane Dorian: Sensemaking in digital journalistic inquiry ecology

Twitter is a powerful digital journalistic instrument and evidence shows journalists were transferring authority to Twitter. With journalistic information ecology becoming imbalanced, it is valuable to research how journalists may use Twitter to discover accurate and reliable information and maintain a vast overview of news events without shifting the power as the fourth estate. The purpose of this study is to provide a possible digital journalistic inquiry model to identify trending topics, distinguish reliable journalistic information while maintaining the balance of journalistic information ecology. Utilizing a large-scale dataset – 1.2 million tweets collected from Twitter API – this study executed cutting-edge network analysis and sentiment analysis to fill in the knowledge gap through a case study on Hurricane Dorian. The study found that the impact of traditional opinion leaders on information diffusion is declining. On the contrary, top in-degree centrality users play more important roles in information diffusion on Twitter. Moreover, tweets with negative polarity opinions were retweeted more. In addition, non-opinion leaders’ negatively polarized tweets were retweeted more than positively polarized ones, although it is not the same case with opinion leaders. With the change of journalistic ecology, identifying top in-degree centrality users and examining their tweets will provide useful resources for journalists to identify keywords, trending themes and predict how likely a topic may interest audience based on degree of polarity and number of retweets on Twitter. The results provide useful patterns for journalists to follow in sensemaking tasks in digital journalistic inquiry.

Community and Opinion Leadership Effects on Vaping Discourse: A Network Analysis of Online Reddit Threads

Reddit is a popular hub for discussing vaping. A deeper understanding of the factors that influence this online discourse could inform public health messaging efforts targeting this platform. Using a network analysis framework, we sought to investigate the role of opinion leaders and online communities in facilitating vaping discussions on Reddit. We collected Reddit submissions about vaping posted in May 2021 and used these submissions to generate subreddit-level (N=261) and thread-level (N=8,377) data sets. We coded subreddits into four community categories: 1) Vaping, 2) Substance use, 3) Cessation, and 4) Non-specific. We used sociometric in-degree centrality statistics to identify subreddit opinion leaders. We computed non-parametric ANOVAs and negative binomial regressions to test associations between opinion leadership and subreddit community category variables on subreddit network composition (comprised of subreddit-level network nodes and edges) and the number of commenters on Reddit threads about vaping (thread-level). Subreddit network composition was largely dependent on opinion leaders in Non-specific communities, and less so in Vaping and Substance use communities. At the thread-level, the rate of commenters was higher among threads initiated by opinion leaders than non-opinion leaders (adjusted rate ratio [aRR]=4.84). Furthermore, threads posted in Vaping (aRR=1.64), Substance use (aRR=1.92), and Cessation (aRR=1.21) communities had higher commenter rates than those posted in Non-specific communities. Communities and opinion leaders play a key role in the composition and reach of vaping discussions on Reddit. These findings provide a foundation for public health campaigns and interventions targeting Reddit and perhaps other social media platforms.

Taking the lead in misinformation-related conversations in social media networks during a mass shooting crisis

PurposeMisinformation (i.e. information identified as false) spreads widely and quickly on social media – a space where crowds of ordinary citizens can become leading voices – during a crisis when information is in short supply. Using the theoretical lenses of socially curated flow and networked gatekeeping frameworks, we address the following three aims: First, we identify emergent opinion leaders in misinformation-related conversations on social media. Second, we explore distinct groups that contribute to online discourses about misinformation. Lastly, we investigate the actual dominance of misinformation within disparate groups in the early phases of mass shooting crises.Design/methodology/approachThis paper used network and cluster analyses of Twitter data that focused on the four most prevalent misinformation themes surrounding the El Paso mass shooting.FindingsA total of seven clusters of users emerged, which were classified into five categories: (1) boundary-spanning hubs, (2) broadly popular individuals, (3) reputation-building hubs, (4) locally popular individuals and (5) non-opinion leaders. Additionally, a content analysis of 128 tweets in six clusters, excluding the cluster of non-opinion leaders, further demonstrated that the opinion leaders heavily focused on reiterating and propagating misinformation (102 out of 128 tweets) and collectively made zero corrective tweets.Originality/valueThese findings expand the intellectual understanding of how various types of opinion leaders can shape the flow of (mis)information in a crisis. Importantly, this study provides new insights into the role of trans-boundary opinion leaders in creating an echo chamber of misinformation by serving as bridges between otherwise fragmented discourses.

Politicised opinion leaders in the younger generation: to meat or not to meat?

PurposeThe consumption of animal-based food products faces several sustainability challenges. To date, however, meat intake plays an important role in everyday food choices. With their ability to change the opinions of a critical mass, opinion leaders in food choices are assumed to play a predominant role in influencing future dietary styles. Thus, the objective of this study was to identify opinion leaders in food choices and their personal meat consumption behaviour as well as their attitude towards policy interventions aiming to meat reduction.Design/methodology/approachThe sample consisted of 1,479 German participants aged between 15 and 29 years who were online surveyed in autumn 2020. A latent profile analysis (LPA) identified three distinct groups of opinion leader in the younger generation labelled “non-opinion leaders”, “weak opinion leaders” and “opinion leaders”. The identified profiles were used to understand opinion leaders and their food choices by using chi-square tests as well as univariate ANOVA with Tukey or Games-Howell post hoc tests.FindingsOpinion leadership in food choices was associated with a higher interest in meat-reduced dietary styles and with more positive attitudes towards innovative food ideas. Moreover, opinion leaders were associated with politicised food decisions, indicating that their food choices align with their political and social interests.Originality/valueThe results contribute to a better understanding of the development of future dietary styles, provide evidence for a shift towards more sustainable dietary patterns in the near future and highlight that food decisions are no longer solely decisions on an individual basis but rather becoming of political relevance.

You paid what!? Understanding price-related word-of-mouth and price perception among opinion leaders and innovators

Although prices are the most discussed topic in consumer conversations, research has mostly neglected the field of price-related word-of-mouth (WOM). The present study picks up this research gap by analyzing the effects of price-WOM valence and price change communicated by WOM on consumer price perception. While a WOM sender’s opinion is a stronger predictor of the recipient’s perceived price fairness, a price change communicated by WOM has a stronger effect on price expensiveness perceptions. Innovators are found to be more positive with their price fairness judgment compared to imitators, and opinion leaders are more prone to price-WOM than non-opinion leaders.

Agricultural Opinion Leader Communication Channel Preferences: An Empirical Analysis of Participants of Agricultural and Natural Resource Leadership Development Programs

In the information rich society of the 21st century consumers have had access to many different communication channels where they can find information about agricultural topics. Individuals seek information that fulfills their needs and opinion leaders have been identified as a solution to communicating with audiences about complex topics. However, previous research has neglected to focus on the most effective means of communicating with opinion leaders. Using level of opinion leadership as a predictor of communication channel preference within a Uses and Gratifications framework a sample of 3,234 agricultural opinion leaders were surveyed. Descriptive statistics revealed that web pages and meetings are most preferred while Twitter, conference calls, and other communication channels are least preferred amongst agricultural opinion leaders. Furthermore, inferential statistics illuminated the importance of clearly defining an intended audience. Specifically, although opinion leaders are differentiated from non-opinion leaders within their networks there are additional levels of opinion leadership that may warrant consideration when selecting a communication channel.

Reducing STD/HIV stigmatizing attitudes through community popular opinion leaders in Chinese markets.

Reducing STDs and HIV/AIDS incidence requires campaigns designed to change knowledge, attitudes and practices of risky sexual behavior and its consequences. In China, a significant obstacle to such changes is the stigma associated with these diseases. Thus one campaign intervention strategy is to train credible community popular opinion leaders to discuss these issues in everyday social venues. This study tested the effectiveness of such an approach on reducing HIV/AIDS stigma, across two years, from a sample of over 4500 market vendors, in three conditions. Results showed an increasing growth in market communication about intervention messages, and concomitant declines in stigmatizing attitudes, across time, with the greatest changes in community popular opinion leaders, significant changes in intervention non-opinion leaders, and little change in the control markets.

Assessment of antiretroviral therapy knowledge and willingness of persons with HIV to support its uptake in Uganda.

BackgroundAccess to care and treatment services for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) are hampered by human resource constraints and knowledge gaps about antiretroviral therapy. Training people with HIV/AIDS (PWA) as educators on antiretroviral therapy may help in the expansion of antiretroviral therapy-related knowledge in Africa. The aim of this study was to assess the antiretroviral therapy-specific knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes of PWA as well as their proactive communication with community members and to explore their willingness to serve as support personnel.MethodsData were obtained from a large randomized trial of PWA. We analyzed qualitative and quantitative data from 524 PWA aged 18 years and over who initiated home-based antiretroviral therapy in 2003. We assessed knowledge and communication of HIV prevention and treatment messages by PWA to communities using structured messages complemented with other knowledge questions and the willingness of PWA to serve as support persons. Descriptive bivariate associations and logistic regression statistical methods were performed. In addition, qualitative data analysis was used.ResultsThe level of knowledge about antiretroviral therapy was high among all PWA on several technical attributes. Overall, 90% of PWA reported that they had been consulted by community members for informed opinions on antiretroviral therapy, 70% felt they were opinion leaders on aspects of antiretroviral therapy within the communities, and approximately 70% were willing to be engaged as community support persons. Those who were classified as opinion leaders reported being approached more regularly by community members for expert advice about antiretroviral therapy compared with nonopinion leaders (odds ratio [OR] 11.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] 7.3–18.6), and opinion leaders were significantly more informed on most technical attributes of antiretroviral therapy, such as “who qualifies for antiretroviral therapy based on CD4 count” (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1–2.0) and “the need to be evaluated for antiretroviral therapy” (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2–2.0).ConclusionOpinion leaders demonstrated correct knowledge and willingness to provide information on antiretroviral therapy care and treatment issues and were, in turn, consulted more frequently for antiretroviral therapy advice compared with nonopinion leaders. Training opinion leaders to work as community support personnel may increase knowledge about antiretroviral therapy in underserved communities.

Targeting Women's Clothing Fashion Opinion Leaders in Media Planning: An Application for Magazines

ABSTRACT Preparing a media plan aimed at opinion leaders requires accurately identifying and describing the attributes of this target as well as measuring its affinities with different media. Our research findings on women9s fashion, particularly magazines, reveal that a media plan targeted at opinion leaders can succeed, that these opinion leaders tend to be positive toward and discuss advertising media, and that they read more women9s fashion magazines and have significantly more affinities with such media than nonopinion leaders.

Networked for change? identifying obstetric opinion leaders and assessing their opinions on caesarean delivery

The objective was to determine whether obstetric opinion leaders can be identified and to characterize them in terms of their demographic and professional characteristics and their attitudes toward caesarean delivery. In late 1998, we surveyed 527 obstetricians, 138 family physicians, and 80 certified nurse midwives (overall response rate, 57.8%) practicing in a stratified random sample of California hospitals with at least 1000 annual deliveries ( n=52). Participants reported on demographic and professional characteristics and attitudes towards caesarean delivery; they also checked off those hospital colleagues from whom they had sought or would seek advice on labour and delivery. A composite measure of nomination frequency was used to characterize each respondent's degree of “opinion leadership”. All analyses were corrected for the complex survey design. Using a nomination cutoff of 0.4 (0–1 scale), opinion leaders were identified in 31% of California hospitals; they were identified in 81% of hospitals using a cutoff of 0.2. Compared with their peers in the lowest fifth of the nomination distribution, clinicians in the top fifth were younger and more likely to be male, to speak English as a first language, to practice obstetrics, to have a maternal–foetal medicine subspecialty, and to practice in higher volume hospitals ( p<0.05). Regardless of discipline, opinion leaders held attitudes concordant with reducing the caesarean delivery rate more often than non-opinion leaders. However, only 48% of obstetrical opinion leaders would support reducing the caesarean delivery rate to levels targeted by Healthy People 2000. In conclusion, obstetric opinion leaders could be identified in many California hospitals. However, they did not consistently support policies designed to reduce the caesarean delivery rate. The results have implications for the generalizability of opinion leader strategies.

Targeting Financial Influential by Means of the Decision-Making Process

ABSTRACT This study empirically examines the pre-purchase behavior of financial opinion leaders. Respondent information for the study was obtained from National Family Opinion Research, Inc. panel members who had recently moved and faced decisions concerning a new financial services provider. A multivariate nominal analysis model was developed which significantly predicted interpersonal communication group categories with independent variables representing the stages of consumer decision-making. Results indicate that problem recognition, search, and choice stages are important areas of differences across the interpersonal categories. Findings also suggest the existence of different patterns in the overall decision process for opinion leaders versus nonopinion leaders. Strategic implications of the study for financial institutions are discussed.

Variation in the Characteristics of Opinion Leaders Across Cultural Borders

This paper reports the results of an invesigation into the characteristics of opinion leaders in eight different cultures; four Western and four Eastern. A self-report opinion leadership scale was first developed and then administered to an undergraduate quota sample in each culture. Thirteen hypothesized characteristics of opinion leaders were collected from respondents and factor analysis revealed four underlying dimensions. Differences between opinion leaders and non-opinion leaders, ith regard to these four factors, were investigated over the eight cultures. Two of the factors, expertise and sociability differed for all cultures tested, maturity showed a significant difference in three Eastern cultures, and wealth varied only in Indonesia.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OPINION LEADERSHIP AND INFORMATION ACQUISITION

Previous research has demonstrated that opinion leaders consistently have more information on the topic of their leadership than do non-opinion leaders. This study tested two theoretical explanations for this phenomenon: selectivity in exposure to information, and differential attention to information. The results provide support for both explanations. Opinion leaders were found to acquire more information than non-opinion leaders under conditions of both voluntary and forced exposure to a mediated message. Both opinion leaders and non-opinion leaders acquired more information under forced exposure than under voluntary exposure.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MEASURE OF PERCEIVED HOMOPHILY IN INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

This paper reports the development of a measure of perceived homophily. In both an initial investigation and in four subsequent studies employing samples from diverse populations, four dimensions of response were observed. These dimensions were labeled Attitude, Morality, Appearance, and Background. Additional results indicated that opinion leaders are perceived as more homophilous than non-opinion leaders on the dimensions of Attitude, Morality, and Background. The scales found to measure these dimensions are suggested for consideration by researchers concerned with homophily or interpersonal similarity in human communication.