Online Communication Research Articles

Negative Affect Following Dating Application Use Is Predicted by Social Anxiety Symptoms and Match Rate.

Social rejection is a common and unavoidable experience for users of dating apps. Research suggests that socially anxious individuals may be particularly likely to use dating apps to establish intimate relationships, given their preference for online (vs. face-to-face) communication. However, social anxiety (SA) symptoms are associated with heightened negative affect and decreased prosocial behavior following social rejection, suggesting that exposure to dating app rejection has deleterious consequences in this population. This study examined whether SA symptoms and social rejection (vs. acceptance) feedback interact to predict participants' negative and positive affect and social engagement with dating app matches. Participants (N = 128) evaluated for SA symptoms were randomly assigned to receive high or low match rate feedback on a simulated dating application task. SA symptoms were negatively associated with positive affect following high match rate feedback and positively associated with negative affect following low match rate feedback. SA symptoms were negatively associated with self-reported likelihood of contact initiation with matches. Results suggest that high socially anxious individuals are more susceptible to negative repercussions of social rejection on dating applications.

What can we learn from pandemic educational methods?: military general practice trainees’ attitudes to feedback from recorded consultations

ABSTRACT Background Recorded consultations are a useful tool for developing consultation skills for general practice speciality trainees (GPSTs). Historical barriers to utility include a lack of recording equipment and trainee discomfort. Widespread use of online communication platforms during the pandemic led to the introduction of the Recorded Consultation Assessment (RCA), prompting an exploration of its impact on GPSTs’ attitudes and acceptability of using recorded consultations for feedback. Aim This sequential explanatory mixed methods study explored attitudes of military GPSTs towards using recorded consultations for feedback to develop consultation skills, and identify factors influencing GPST attitudes. Methods Participants of this study completed a questionnaire, followed by a representative sample focus group. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse quantitative data, reflexive thematic analysis was employed for qualitative data. Triangulation was conducted using a meta-matrix. Results Results indicated agreement among respondents on the usefulness of recorded consultations for developing consultation skills, particularly communication skills. Perceived trainer attitudes significantly influence the GPST utility of this tool. The RCA positively impacted attitudes, providing familiarity, free access to easy-to-use online recording platforms, simplified consenting procedures, secure data storage, and improved feedback quality from trainers. Conclusion Pre-pandemic studies cited equipment access and consent procedures as barriers to utilising recording as a method of feedback. The pandemic and RCA introduced online resources and imperative to utilise this method, resulting in largely positive GPST learning experiences. As we move away from the RCA it is important to retain institutional memory of the benefits gained from feedback using recorded methods.

Contribution of Online Referral Systems to Health Services: Systematic Review

The online referral system (eReferral) is designed to improve waiting times and efficiency by standardizing information and online communication in the referral process. Online referral is the automation of the referral process in which appointments and other information regarding the outcome of a consultation are transferred between two or more healthcare providers. This study was designed to identify the implementation of online referrals at various levels of health care. This systematic review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement. Of the 10 articles included in this review, 6 studies were conducted in the USA, 2 studies in Canada, and one each in the UK, and Saudi Arabia. The studies used a variety of designs, including Quasi-experimental (n=5), longitudinal (n=2), qualitative (n=1), and Research and Development (n=2). This study provides a clear picture of the use of an online referral system, starting from the work process, effectiveness, barriers, and development possibilities for a wider reach. This system is very helpful in easing the workload of specialist doctors and for patients who are referred users get the benefit of shorter waiting times/queues, making it possible to reduce medical costs further.

Unleashing the potential of eHealth in outpatient cancer care for patients undergoing immunotherapy—a quantitative study considering patients’ needs and current healthcare challenges

BackgroundThe use of online information and communication is globally increasing in the healthcare sector. In addition to known benefits in other medical fields, possible specific potentials of eHealth lie in the monitoring of oncological patients undergoing outpatient therapy. Specifically, the treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) requires intensive monitoring due to various possible negative side effects. The present study explores cancer patients’ perspectives on eHealth and demonstrates how eHealth applications, from the patients’ point of view, can contribute to further improving outpatient immunotherapy.Methods and findingsOur multicenter study was executed at the university hospitals in Bonn and Aachen. A structured questionnaire was distributed to patients receiving outpatient immunotherapy. Contents addressed were (1) the patients’ attitude towards eHealth applications, (2) the use of modern information and communications technologies (ICT) in (2a) everyday life and (2b) health-related information search including eHealth literacy, (3) the use of internet-enabled devices as well as (4) socio-demographic data. 164 patients were included in the study, of whom 39.0% were female and 61.0% male and the average age was 62.8 years. Overall, there was a high distribution of internet-enabled devices for everyday use and a great interest in integrating eHealth applications into outpatient immunotherapy. The assessment of eHealth potentials significantly depended on age. The younger participants demonstrated a broader use of modern ICT and a higher affinity for its use in outpatient immunotherapy. In some aspects, level of education and gender were also relevant factors influencing the patients’ view on eHealth.ConclusionThis study demonstrates the potential for further integration of eHealth applications into outpatient immunotherapy from the patients’ perspective. It indicates a dependency on age and educational level for the further integration of eHealth into patient care in oncology. Due to particular patient needs regarding age, level of education, gender and other subgroups, specific education and training as well as target-group specific digital health interventions are necessary to fully utilize the potentials of eHealth for outpatient immunotherapy. Future studies are required to specifically address target-group specific usability of eHealth applications and eHealth literacy, as well as to address information security and data protection.

Internet usage time and trust in doctors: evidence from China

BackgroundThe growth of internet use has greatly impacted many societal sectors, including healthcare. However, current evidence about the relationship between internet usage time and public trust on doctors is insufficient.ObjectiveTo examine the relationship between the time spent on the internet and the level of trust in doctors, and explore its mechanism.MethodsMultiple regression models are employed, utilizing a sample of 19,193 observations from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) in 2020. First, we regress the relative trust in doctors compared to trust in strangers on internet usage time. Subsample results across distinct population groups are explored. Second, we examine the mechanism of using the internet as an information channel through the mediation method, and further investigate the role of the internet as a communication platform by analyzing the moderation effects of socializing activity as well as social media engagement.ResultsWe find a significant negative relationship between increased internet usage time and trust in doctors. This correlation remains robust across different model specifications and variable measurements. The negative correlation is more pronounced among population groups who are elderly, male, married, with low educational levels, insured and residing in urban areas. The role of the internet as a source of information is validated as a mechanism producing the negative influence. The role of the internet as a communication platform tends to mitigate the negative consequences of internet usage, as engaging in online socializing activity can have a positive moderation effect. However, for social media engagement, its overall effect on trust in doctors is negative, potentially due to social media’s dual function as a communication platform and an information source.ConclusionsAlthough individual-focused literature tends to demonstrate a positive impact of the internet on trust in doctors in China, our study, which focuses on the general public, reveals contrasting results. Our findings imply that the primary manner in which internet usage, encompassing social media usage, influences public trust in doctors is by molding a collective perception of them. Consequently, the medical community may need to take a more proactive approach in expanding online communication channels for interacting with patients and the wider public.

Structural-semantic and linguocultural aspects of vocabulary in social networks

ABSTRACT The aim of this paper is to study the online discourse of Kazakhstan from the point of view of realization of structural-semantic and linguocultural parameters of online communication. In this paper, key parameters of structural semantics and linguoculture in Kazakhstani social networks are studied using lexico-semantic, structural and linguocultural analyses. The structural-semantic model of the lexicon of Kazakhstani social networks consists of two levels. The first level includes such lexical-semantic groups as emotional-evaluative and expressive lexicon, borrowed lexicon, linguoculturally marked lexicon, dialect lexicon, reduced and abnormal lexicon. Emotional-evaluative and expressive lexicon was represented by such groups as pejoratives (with negative evaluation) and melioratives (with positive evaluation). Linguoculturally marked lexis was represented by three main lexico-semantic fields: non-equivalent lexis, phraseological expressions and proverbs, and reduced and non-normative lexis was represented by colloquial and commonplace lexis. The statistical results showed that the quantitative correlation between linguocultural lexemes was distributed in the following way. Lexemes related to material culture were represented by 34%), lexemes related to professional activities were represented by 25%, lexemes related to food names were represented by 23%, and lexemes related to dance names occupied about 18% of the total.

Shift Happens

In 1989, Ray Oldenburg coined the term “third place” to describe locations individuals frequent to connect with their local community outside their home and work. Third places add immense value to the local community by fostering social ties, increasing happiness, and fostering a sense of collectivity. Third-place declines have steadily occurred over the past few decades, with a sharp reduction during the Great Recession. This decline primarily affects privately run organizations and food and beverage stores, which often serve as third places, emphasizing the importance of nurturing these community spaces. This paper examines how communicative efforts contribute to community integration in a transient college town, focusing on the role of length of residence and online communication. Focus groups at a local third place found that to expedite the community integration process for temporary residents, third places need to employ overly welcoming communication strategies paired with effective use of social media.

Examining English learning students’ experiences related to home language use in a Physical Science and Language Development classroom

Research suggests that by allowing English Learner (EL) students to use their home languages in science class, they can better express their thinking and build content knowledge through underlying crosslinguistic awareness between languages. However, EL students’ educational backgrounds and home languages are incredibly varied. In this case study, we employ grounded theory to explore students' perceptions of their experiences in the context of a Physical Science and Language Development class [10]. We use a phenomenological approach to describe how the students experience their home language within this model of a science and language development class. Observation data, online video assignments, and small group, semi-structured interviews were used to find themes related to experiences of using home language in science class. The findings indicate varied student perspectives on the use of their home languages in science class. Some students preferred to use class time to practice using English, while others found value in using their home languages to help better understand science concepts. Student ideologies regarding English-only or multilingual practices for EL students varied. The findings also indicated that providing an opportunity for EL students to use their home languages in an asynchronous online communication platform outside of class was an effective strategy to allow time for students to practice English during science class, yet provide an opportunity to translate between home languages and English.

Experiences of Indonesian nurses as Hajj health personnel in caring for Hajj pilgrims: A qualitative study.

Investigating the experiences and roles of nurses during Hajj is vital due to the unique public health challenges posed by the mass gathering of diverse pilgrims. Nurses play a crucial role in disease surveillance, infection control, and managing emergencies like heat stroke and injuries. Their insights can improve emergency preparedness and public health management. This study aimed to explore the experiences of Indonesian nurses as Hajj health personnel caring for Hajj pilgrims during the 2023 Hajj season. This study employed a qualitative descriptive design and selected participants through purposive sampling from hospitals, public healthcare centers, and clinics in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Nine nurses participated in the research, and data were collected through a focus group discussion in December 2023. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Six themes emerged, including practicing ethical principles in providing health care during the hajj process, competency qualifications as a health worker, the health care process during Hajj, legal Requirements for Hajj, the importance of therapeutic communication skills to establish cooperation with various parties, and recognizing the role of duties and responsibilities during the hajj process. The study emphasizes the importance of competencies, ethics, communication, and strategic planning in Hajj healthcare. Effective online communication, especially via WhatsApp, was crucial for coordination. The findings emphasize the need for strategic workforce planning, resource allocation, and continuous training to enhance care quality for pilgrims, informing better planning and policy development for future Hajj seasons.

So problematic and so tied to the media: analyzing the misinformation concern in six European countries

PurposeThis paper addresses the social issue of misinformation in six European countries by investigating how intangible factors associated with the collective evaluation of political-institutional behaviors and judgments regarding media practices and uses of online communication channels are related to citizens’ concerns about misinformation.Design/methodology/approachBased on a quantitative approach (data analysis), the study relies on data from the Eurobarometer 98.2 (2023), the official public opinion survey of European institutions. The analysis encompasses six European countries representing the pluralist-polarized (Spain, Italy and Greece) and democratic-corporatist models (Germany, Denmark and Sweden). With a multiple linear regression model, the research explores how independent variables help explain citizens' concerns regarding misinformation in each country.FindingsThe paper emphasizes three main findings: (1) for citizens in five out of six countries, the main factor associated with an increased misinformation concern is the distrust of political information on social network sites. (2) for citizens, how they evaluate the performance of traditional media relates to misinformation concerns and (3) this holds for countries categorized in pluralist-polarized and democratic-corporatist media system models.Practical implicationsMedia managers and policymakers can leverage the insights from this research to address the social concern of misinformation.Originality/valueThis article adds value to existing misinformation studies by underscoring the significance of understanding how citizens’ assessments of political-institutional behaviors, journalism practices and the political use of online communication channels interconnect with the misinformation concern in both pluralist-polarized and democratic-corporatist models.

CONSUMERS’ DIGITAL LITERACY LEVELS AND ONLINE PURCHASING INTENTIONS: GENERATIONS X, Y, AND Z

Purpose: This study aimed to determine consumers’ digital literacy levels, whether their digital literacy levels had an effect on their online purchasing behaviour, and whether their digital literacy levels varied with their demographic characteristics. Few studies in the marketing literature have investigated the concept of digital literacy, which has become an important issue for consumer behaviour. Material and Method: In this study, in which quantitative research methods were used, data were collected from 627 consumers through online survey method. The conceptual model of the study was tested using structural equation modeling. Findings: This study found statistically significantly differences between the generations’ digital literacy levels and online purchasing intentions. Results: Especially for online communication, it is recommended to develop applications and content that will attract and use consumers with different digital literacy levels.

Navigating the Digital Landscape: Evaluating the Impacts of Digital IMC on Building and Maintaining Destination Brand Equity

In the evolving realm of digital marketing, digital integrated marketing communication (IMC) has emerged as a critical factor in building and maintaining brand equity for sustainable tourism destinations. This research examines the impact of digital IMC consistency and interactivity on establishing destination brand equity, while exploring the interconnections among its various dimensions. Grounded in both empirical and theoretical frameworks, this study collected data via an online questionnaire administered to 435 users of online travel agencies, which was analyzed through Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results demonstrate that customer-perceived digital IMC (consistency and interactivity) exerts a significant positive influence on destination brand equity, uncovering the intricate dynamics among destination awareness, image, perceived quality, and loyalty. Notably, destination loyalty is influenced by destination awareness through destination image and perceived destination quality, with destination image having a more significant impact than perceived destination quality. This research is significant in constructing knowledge of IMC in the digital tourism marketing paradigm, shedding light on how the consistency and interactivity of online communication affect various consumer brand equity outcomes. Additionally, it provides valuable insights into digital tourism practices and sustainable development, enriching the discourse regarding how digital IMC enhances destination brand equity.

Being family via WeChat: Children's interpretation of long‐distance family relationships

AbstractThis study explores how left‐behind children in rural China maintain long‐distance family relationships through WeChat, highlighting the significant role of social media during family separation. It underscores the importance of considering children's voices in understanding family relationships in the digital age. Drawing on online workshops and interviews with 41 participants, the research examines how Chinese left‐behind children use WeChat to facilitate parental engagement and manage their emotions. It also investigates the challenges children face in online communication and their perspectives on grandparental involvement. This article argues that children's agency is situated within structural conditions shaped by a confluence of factors, including technological affordances, unique familial contexts, and socio‐economic inequalities. This situatedness fosters creativity, compromises, and adaptations in ‘being family’ at a distance.

Psychological mechanisms of group influence on individual behavior

The paper analyzes psychological mechanisms of group influence on individual behavior, including conformity, social suggestion, authority pressure, and imitation, which have a decisive influence on individual behavior formation in social groups. Special attention has been paid to these mechanisms’ transformation under the influence of digital media and new communication technologies in the context of globalization. Digital platforms influence on the political activity of young people has been studied, which emphasizes the increasing role of online communications in shaping group behavior. Group norms and expectations, often imposed through digital platforms, actively shape social identity and individuals’ behavior, increasing their susceptibility to group pressure and conformity. Leadership styles have also been found to significantly influence group dynamics by altering group members’ behavioral responses. Cross-cultural studies show the importance of contextualization, as responses to social pressure vary across cultures. There is a need for further research on the long-term effects of social influence and the development of methods to minimize its negative effects on individual behavior. The study results contribute to a deeper understanding of the social influence mechanisms in the context of globalization, noting the importance of an interdisciplinary approach.

THE POTENTIAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) TO IMPROVE ELECTRONIC WORD-OF-MOUTH'S (eWOM) EFFICACY

Internet-mediated online communication, particularly with regard to a product, brand, or organization, is known as electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM). Analyzing this open exchange of opinions and information about a company or product among consumers can be extremely useful for businesses. Opinion mining, (sentiment analysis), is a popular subdomain in Natural language processing (NLP) which allows for transforming qualitative data into quantitative information. The sentiment analysis of eWOM has greatly improved with the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI). Nowadays, computer algorithms can automatically classify the sentiment polarity of digital communication after extracting plain text. Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to fundamentally alter how companies assess and use consumer feedback to improve their products and services. In this paper, the authors, by analysing the attitudes of 450 respondents, tried to bring this current topic closer to experts in the field of digital marketing, in order to point out to them all the benefits that the sentiment analysis of consumers with the help of artificial intelligence algorithms can provide. The aim of this study is to indicate that if marketing experts use sentiment analysis supported by artificial intelligence (AI), they will be able to gain deeper insights on their customers and adjust their business strategies accordingly.

Perks or burdens? Being “nearly (Im)mobile” as IT foreign professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan

ABSTRACT This paper investigates how Vietnamese IT professionals managed their daily work and family lives in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adapting the concept of “nearly mobile”, this study suggests a concept of “nearly (im)mobile”, which focuses on the tensions and opportunities between mobility and immobility in skilled migrants’ work and family life. Workers from Vietnam comprise the third-largest group of foreign IT professionals in Japan. Many worked remotely during the pandemic, like others in the IT industry. However, amidst the unmitigated expansion of remote work during the pandemic including among Japanese nationals, how these workers experienced this work style has remained under-researched. The findings are based on semi-structured online and in-person interview data from Vietnamese IT professionals. Similar to Japanese national employees, many Vietnamese professionals could work remotely. Moreover, the workforce needs in the labour market allowed some to change jobs. However, junior workers were forced to be immobile (at the office) or stay in on-the-job training, and some skilled workers were expected to commit to longer hours for online communication with staff in Vietnam. Additionally, border restrictions exposed the immobility of foreign IT professionals and family members in Japan and Vietnam, which prevented these professionals from receiving childcare support from their families. This paper argues that while Vietnamese IT professionals could be physically “nearly (im)mobile” by staying at home to work, they were simultaneously pressured to undergo “nearly (im)mobile” work practices in Japanese firms while constrained by managing their work and family lives.

A systematic literature review of online communication and promotion for sustainable tourism

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to systematically review the literature on how sustainable tourism is communicated online and who the main stakeholders involved in the communication are.Design/methodology/approachConducting a quantitative approach based on the systematic literature review, we searched five academic databases and examined 747 papers published from 2009 to 2022. A total of 87 articles were systematically analysed.FindingsSustainable online communication has mainly been explored through structured data rather than alternative ones. Different stakeholders have been studied about online sustainable communication. However, few studies have focused on the relationships between them as a unique and complex ecosystem of subjects.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first attempt to synthesise sustainable online communication and the stakeholders involved. It provides an in-depth understanding of central papers discussing the topic and offers insights for future research to foster growth in both research and practice. Overall, this research highlights the lack of research on the topic and its importance for a planned sustainability-oriented online communication strategy to raise awareness and inspire sustainable choices.

V-LTCS: Backbone exploration for Multimodal Misogynous Meme detection

Memes have become a fundamental part of online communication and humour, reflecting and shaping the culture of today’s digital age. The amplified Meme culture is inadvertently endorsing and propagating casual Misogyny. This study proposes V-LTCS (Vision- Language Transformer Combination Search), a framework that encompasses all possible combinations of the most fitting Text (i.e. BERT, ALBERT, and XLM-R) and Vision (i.e. Swin, ConvNeXt, and ViT) Transformer Models to determine the backbone architecture for identifying Memes that contains misogynistic contents. All feasible Vision-Language Transformer Model combinations obtained from the recognized optimal Text and Vision Transformer Models are evaluated on two (smaller and larger) datasets using varied standard metrics (viz. Accuracy, Precision, Recall, and F1-Score). The BERT-ViT combinational Transformer Model demonstrated its efficiency on both datasets, validating its ability to serve as a backbone architecture for all subsequent efforts to recognize Multimodal Misogynous Memes.

Synchronous and Asynchronous Online Communication for Developing Foreign Language Speaking Skills

Synchronous and Asynchronous Online Communication for Developing Foreign Language Speaking Skills

“Giving them the best information I could with whatever I had at hand”. Physicians' online health communication practices in a post-normal science context

This study describes US-based physicians' online public communication practices, particularly on the social media platform Twitter/X, during the COVID-19 pandemic. We draw on 28 semi-structured interviews to examine how they responded to the unique COVID-19 context with respect to each of the four features of post-normal science (PNS): facts uncertain, values in dispute, stakes high, and decisions urgent. Our analysis reveals that the pandemic shifted what, why, and how physicians used the platform, and with whom they aimed to communicate. We discuss the implications of these changes in their online communication habits, discourses, and representations around social media as a reaction to the context of PNS brought about by the pandemic.