Online Panel Data Research Articles

Examining the roles of social media information exposure and seeking on COVID-19 vaccination through the S-O-R model: A two-wave panel in Hong Kong

This study draws upon the stimulus-organism-response (S–O-R) framework in examining the influence of stimulus factors (i.e., passive exposure to and active information seeking for COVID-19 vaccine information on social media) on users' internal psychological mechanisms (i.e., perceived information overload and psychological reactance) and vaccination behavior. We collected two-wave online panel data (W1 N = 411, W2 N = 264) in Hong Kong and tested our hypothesized model using structural equation modeling. The results showed that passive information exposure and active information seeking on social media were positively associated with both vaccination initiation (i.e., receiving the first dose) and full vaccination (i.e., completing the recommended 3-dose schedule at W2). We identified different mediation pathways from passive information exposure and active information seeking to vaccine skepticism through perceived information overload and psychological reactance. Specifically, a double-edged sword effect was found for active information seeking. Active information seeking was associated with lower vaccine skepticism both directly and indirectly through lower psychological reactance. On the other hand, active information seeking was associated with higher perceived information overload, which in turn was associated with higher psychological reactance and subsequently higher vaccine skepticism. Passive information exposure indirectly affected psychological state and vaccine skepticism through higher active information seeking. These findings contribute to the literature on the impact of social media use on vaccination behavior in the context of public health emergencies and offer practical implications for governments and social media platforms in risk communication and vaccination promotion.

Too Anecdotal to Be True? Mechanical Turk Is Not All Bots and Bad Data: Response to Webb and Tangney (2022)

In response to Webb and Tangney (2022) we call into question the conclusion that data collected on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk) was “at best—only 2.6% valid” (p. 1). We suggest that Webb and Tangney made certain choices during the study-design and data-collection process that adversely affected the quality of the data collected. As a result, the anecdotal experience of these authors provides weak evidence that MTurk provides low-quality data as implied. In our commentary we highlight best practice recommendations and make suggestions for more effectively collecting and screening online panel data.

Impacts of Covid-19 on Preferences for Airbnb and Car-Sharing Services and Marketing Implications

The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated the ecosystem of tourism businesses. This study aimed to assess the effect of the pandemic on consumers’ intentions to choose sharing economy products and services. A series of five experimental designs was conducted using online panel data. Consumers were found to be less likely to choose sharing economy products under pandemic conditions. During the pandemic, cleanliness is considered more important than location when people choose Airbnb accommodation. The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the underlying psychological mechanisms that are driving consumers’ decisions in the current environment of market uncertainty and offer evidence of the effects of the global health crisis on people's decisions to use sharing economy products in the tourism industry.

Work–Life Balance, Supervisor Support, and Life Satisfaction in the Higher Education Sector

Abstract The study explores the relationship between work–life balance and supervisor support in the Indian higher education sector. More specifically, the study explores the effects of supervisor support on the work–life balance of female employees working in academia. We used online panel data comprised of 300 employees working in various universities, which we analysed by employing structural equation modelling. Results reveal that supervisor support is positively related to employee work–life balance and ultimately their life satisfaction. The findings also stress the importance of supervisor support for female employees, as its presence is a major boost in helping women reach the desired work–life balance. With the objective to augment work–life balance of women academicians, the work would guide managers as well as decision makers involved in the academic sector to implement women-friendly policies and programmes.

Online panel data quality: a sentiment analysis based on a deep learning approach

The rise of online access panels has profoundly changed the market research landscape. Often presented by their owners as very powerful tools, they nevertheless raise important scientific questions, particularly regarding the representativeness of the samples they produce and, consequently, the validity of the information they provide. In this paper, we present an innovative approach, based on deep learning and sentiment analysis techniques, to assess in real time the representativeness of an online panel sample. The idea is to measure the extent to which the opinions of an online panel converge with opinions on social networks. To validate the proposed method, we conducted a case study on the emerging discussion on Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination. The results not only proved the representativeness of online panel sample, but also demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of our approach.

Does value co-creation matter? Assessing consumer responses in the sharing economy

PurposeThe sharing economy has evolved as a result of the diffusion of information and communication technology and facilitates collaborative consumption and production otherwise known as value co-creation. The present research aims to explore the consumer responses to value co-creation in sharing economy such as satisfaction, brand preference and enduring buyer–platform relationships, amid consumer's CSR concerns.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on the sharing economy and value co-creation literature and rooted in the stimulus-organism-response framework, an online panel data provider was employed to recruit 393 actual sharing economy consumers from the United States. Empirical analyses are performed using structural equation modeling through Amos, version.27.FindingsFindings confirm that value co-creation intentions contribute to consumers' satisfaction, brand preference and sustainable social relationships in the sharing economy. As expected, heightened concerns of corporate social responsibility (CSR) led to decreased consumer satisfaction with the sharing economy platform.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the digital sharing economy literature by emphasizing the role of CSR perceptions for building long-term relationships (buyer–platform relationships) where value co-creation is crucial.

People with visual impairment in outward-facing work: Developing a tool to measure employer attitudes.

Over the years, persons with disabilities have suffered unjustifiably due to a low employment rate, largely the result of unsupportive and negative attitude from employers. Such attitudes are exacerbated during periods of economic stress, with a case par excellence being the current COVID-19 pandemic. Prior studies have addressed common concerns of employers within the workplace. However, the dimensions of these concerns extend beyond the internal working environment, to the outward-facing work environment, involving interactions with customers and suppliers. These concerns have not, thus far, been properly addressed. To develop the Service from People With Visual Impairment (SPVI) psychometric measure, a 6-item employers' attitude assessment tool. This study is based on 1,036 questionnaires collected using Online Panel Data (OPD), from managers who have hiring authority. We performed Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) followed by Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) for discriminant and convergent validity. Finally, we present an empirical model comprising a stable single factor and establish predictive validity using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). CFA showed good fit to the observed data; CMIN/DF = 1.94, p > 0.05, CFI = 1, TLI = 0.99, NFI = 1, RMSEA = 0.03. SEM showed good fit; CMIN/DF = 1.91, CFI = 1, TLI = 0.99, NFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.03. The results suggest that the instrument could become a pragmatic tool to assess employer attitudes to employ people with visual impairment or blindness due to external work environment concerns. The tool is relevant to a wide range of circumstances, including economic downturns. Practical considerations are discussed.

Exploring perceived transportation disadvantages: Distribution, disparities, and associations with the built environment

We explore three perception-based transportation disadvantages: high costs or efforts, limited physical abilities, and opportunity inaccessibility. We use online panel data to synthesize perceived disadvantages for the population by census tract in South Carolina through iterative proportional updating. Hotspot analysis indicates that the three disadvantages lack statistically significant spatial relationships. We associate perception-based disadvantages with the built environment and three underrepresented communities (i.e., minority, poverty, and aging population). Findings illustrate evident social disparities in perceived transportation disadvantages. Greater residential density is associated with less physical disability and less opportunity inaccessibility. Multimodal network density has a negative association with cost or effort disadvantages. The ratio of transportation costs to household income is positively associated with physical disabilities. Minority tracts perceive more physical and accessibility disadvantages. The results provide implications for policies aiming to mitigate transportation disadvantages for underrepresented populations and neighborhoods.

The Survey for Memory, Attention, and Reaction Time (SMART): Preliminary normative online panel data and user attitudes for a brief web-based cognitive performance measure

ObjectiveThe Survey for Memory, Attention, and Reaction Time (SMART) was recently introduced as a brief (<5 min), self-administered, web-based measure of cognitive performance in older adults. The purpose of this study was threefold: (1) to develop preliminary norms on the SMART; (2) to examine the relationship between demographic variables (i.e. age, sex, education), device type used, and SMART performance; and (3) to assess user attitudes of the SMART. Method A sample of 1,050 community-dwelling adults (M age =59.5 (15.2), M education = 16.5 (2.1), 67.1% female, 96% white) was recruited from an ongoing web-based research cohort. Participants completed the SMART, which consists of four face-valid cognitive tasks assessing visual memory, attention/processing speed, and executive functioning. SMART performance outcome metrics were subtest completion time (CT), click count, and total CT. Participants provided demographic information and completed a survey of user attitudes toward the SMART (i.e. usability, acceptability). Results Older age was the only demographic variable associated with slower SMART total CT (r = .60, p <.001). Education was not associated with SMART CT or click counts overall (p > .05). Male sex was generally associated with longer SMART CT (p < .001, partial eta squared = .14) on all sub-tests. Regarding acceptability, 97.3% indicated willingness to take the SMART again, with more than half willing to complete it on a weekly basis. Conclusion The preliminary normative data on the SMART indicates that it is a feasible and well-accepted web-based cognitive assessment tool that can be administered on multiple device platforms.

Using instant refunds to improve online return experiences

In the online return context, offering the consumer a satisfactory return experience is critical to an online seller's success. However, little is known about how online sellers can improve consumers' online return experience. This research examines whether an instant refund service can improve the online return experience. To obtain a comprehensive view of the outcomes of using an instant refund service, this paper also examines how the use of an instant refund affects several pivotal consumer responses. Study 1 analyzed the effects of an instant refund service on consumer responses in a post-purchase pre-return scenario, and Study 2 analyzed the effects of instant refunds on a set of key variables in a post-purchase post-return scenario, including satisfaction with the online return experience. For each study, the hypotheses of the effects of an instant refund on consumer responses were discussed, and a one-factor (instant refund service, yes vs. no) between-subject scenario experiment (with an additional related experiment in study 1) was conducted, using online panel data from Wjx.cn. One-way ANOVA was used to test the hypotheses. It is concluded that an instant refund service increases consumer satisfaction with the experience and improves other consumer responses. In terms of potential side-effects, instant refunds are not significantly associated with stronger product return intentions. These findings can help online sellers decide whether to evolve their conventional refund mode to a new instant refund mode.

A double jeopardy: COVID-19 impacts on the travel behavior and community living of people with disabilities.

The COVID-19 pandemic response has had a significant impact on the general population’s ability to participate in their communities. Individuals with disabilities, an already socially disadvantaged population, are more vulnerable to and have likely been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 response conditions. Yet, the extent to which daily community living activities of people with disabilities have been impacted is unknown. Thus, this study assesses their travel behavior and community living during the COVID-19 pandemic conditions compared with those of the general population during the same period.A web survey was conducted using Qualtrics’s online panel data (respondents included 232 people with disabilities and 161 people without disabilities). Regression models found that people with disabilities reduced their daily travel to a greater extent but at varying degrees, depending on the destination types and travel modes. Reductions in taxi rides (including ride-hailing services) were most significant among people with cognitive and sensory (vision and hearing) disabilities. By place type, cognitive disability was associated with a trip reduction for multiple destination types—grocery, restaurants, outdoor recreation, indoor recreation, and healthcare providers. Findings from this study could contribute to decision- and policy-making in planning, transportation, and community services during the remainder of the COVID-19 pandemic, in future major public health crises, as well as post-COVID, because the adjustments in travel behavior and community living might be longer-term.

Assessing the role of venturesomeness in a destination consumer-based brand equity model

PurposeGiven the lack of research on the nomological validity of tourism destination consumer-based brand equity (CBBE) constructs incorporating core, well-established constructs from the travel and tourism discipline, this research investigates the influence of venturesomeness as a moderator in a model with destination image, satisfaction, and overall CBBE as antecedents of return intentions.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses online panel data of past visitor to the sea-side destination of Corpus Christi, Texas. A sample of 210 residents in Texas and surrounding states was employed to estimate the hypothesized effects through partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).FindingsResults demonstrate the predictive effects of destination CBBE dimensions on tourists' revisit intention, with the significant moderation effects of venturesomeness through its influence on tourist satisfaction.Research limitations/implicationsFindings provide general support to the nomological validity of the proposed model, highlighting the role of satisfaction as a central dimension to explain destination loyalty, the limitations of generic scales to investigate tourism destination contexts, and the incorporation of consumers' psychographics and lifestyle variables on destination CBBE.Practical implicationsDestination marketers should develop segmentation strategies to target travelers with psychographic profiles that are more responsive to the factors that foster CBBE.Originality/valueThis research provides insights on the nomological validity of a CBBE model by evaluating its integration with a context-specific theoretical domain, which is a condition to increase the explanatory scope of theoretical relations and claims in intermediate theory, and to move the research field forward.

Inclusive leadership, matured age HRM practices and older worker wellbeing

The influence of the work environment on psychological wellbeing is an important consideration for organisations to motivate and retain older workers. This study examines how organisational factors can enhance older workers’ psychological wellbeing. Drawing on the Conservation of Resources Theory, we propose that the interaction of two organisational factors, inclusive leadership, and mature‐age human resource (HR) practices, can foster older workers’ psychological wellbeing. Online panel data were collected from a sample of 398 older workers in the Australian public sector. Results showed that mature‐age HR practices positively and partially mediated the relationship between inclusive leadership and psychological wellbeing. More importantly, we found that inclusive leadership acted as an antecedent and moderator by enhancing the ability of mature‐age HR practices to beneficially influence the psychological wellbeing of older workers. Based on the findings, we discuss theoretical and practical implications.

Political Para-Social Relationship as a Predictor of Voting Preferences in the Israeli 2019 Elections

The idea that the success of media personae in attracting audiences and maintaining their loyalty depends on the creation of a pseudo-friendship, known as para-social relationships, has been a mainstay of mass media research for more than half a century. Expanding the scope of para-social relationship research into the political realm, the notion that political support could be predicted based on the intensity of para-social relationships between voters and political figures was demonstrated in a recent study. The current exploration tests the predictive power of Political Para-Social Relationship (PPSR) in the context of the April and September 2019 Israeli election campaigns. Findings from online panel data ( n = 1,061) demonstrate that PPSR toward Netanyahu was a positive predictor of voting for Netanyahu’s Likud party and a negative predictor of voting for opposition leader Benny Gantz’s Blue and White party in both campaigns. The opposite was true for PPSR toward Benny Gantz. The PPSR constructs also predicted shifts in party support from the February to October (post-election) waves of the study, and loyalty toward the parties. In all models, the PPSR constructs were among the strongest predictors of political support.

Reference dependence in the UK housing market

The study of reference dependence in housing markets is of practical importance due to the unusual characteristics of property transactions, such as high information asymmetry caused by many individuals’ lack of experience in housing markets. The overall low transaction frequency and general illiquidity of housing markets can exacerbate and reinforce behavioural anomalies such as reference dependence. The knowledge gained through an empirical investigation in the UK housing market can assist in the understanding of these behavioural biases. By conducting an online experiment at a UK online panel data platform, we identify the presence of reference dependence in the UK housing market, and the extent to which they are caused by both historical and recent prices. The influence of expectations and social norms is also investigated in this novel context. The findings of this study pave the way for reliable economic modelling of such anomalies and a better understanding of behaviours in the housing market.

Antecedents of Duty Free Shop Willingness to Pay*

Purpose - This study aims to examine the antecedents of willingness to pay in the domain of duty free shop. Design/methodology/approach - This study chooses willingness to pay as explained variable. The candidates of explanatory variables are price fairness, brand awareness, employee service, product diversity, and crowding. This study uses survey to explore the linear relation between variables. This research collected data using online panel data collection service. The number of valid observation is 265. The research targe is Lotte duty free store. Statistical analysis was for statistical inference. To attain the information of survey respondents, frequency analysis is employed. Next, this study implemented exploratory factor analysis and reliability to ensure both validity and reliability of measurement items. This study executed multiple regression analysis to test research hypotheses Findings - Regrading results, brand awareness, employee service, and product diversity are positively associated with willingness to pay of duty free shop product. Moreover, the results of regression analysis suggest the inverted-U shape association between crowding and willingness to pay. However, price fairness appeared as non-significant variable to account for willingness to pay in the multiple regression analysis. Originality - This study contributes to the literature by examining duty free shop customers more.

Providing Evidence and “Voice” During the COVID-19 Pandemic Using Online Rapid Response Surveys: Lessons from the UJ/HSRC COVID-19 Democracy Survey

ABSTRACT COVID-19 presents significant challenges to society and to social scientists in their attempts to understand the unfolding consequences of the pandemic. This article examines how the UJ/HSRC COVID-19 Democracy survey responded to these challenges by conducting a series of rapid-response non-probabilistic surveys using a mass membership online data-free platform, known as the Moya messenger app. While not without its limitations, we argue that the narrowing “digital divide” in South Africa means that online survey research is of increasing utility to researchers under the conditions of the pandemic and beyond. By offering insight into the technicalities of designing, translating and fielding the survey we aim to share insights into best practice that can further develop online survey research in South Africa. In particular, we reflect upon why the river sampling offered by the Moya messenger app was favoured over online panel data. This leads into a discussion of the process of weighting the data to replicate the national population, and the potential biases among participants versus non-participants in the surveys. The article then moves on to illustrate how the findings were used to provide evidence to policymakers and “voice” to adults living in South Africa about their experiences of the pandemic and their views on policy responses. The article considers how the research contributed to the public discourse around the pandemic response in 2020, including the public’s views on various pandemic policy decisions, school closures and pandemic fatigue.

Reference Dependence in the UK Property Market

The study of reference dependence in property markets is of practical importance due to the unusual characteristics of property transactions, such as high information asymmetry caused by many individuals’ lack of experience in property markets. The overall low transaction frequency and general illiquidity of property markets can exacerbate and reinforce irrational behaviours such as reference dependence. The knowledge gained through an empirical investigation in the UK property market can assist in the attenuation of these distortions. We use a UK online panel data provider, Prolific, to conduct an online experiment on the formation and adaptation of reference points among home buyers and sellers in the UK. Over 600 valid responses were collected in January 2019. By analysing the reported ‘willingness to pay’ of buyers and ‘willingness to accept’ of sellers this paper identifies the presence of behavioural biases in the UK property market, and the extent to which they are caused by both historical and recent prices. The influence of aspirations and social comparisons is established in this novel context. The results of the experiment clearly indicate that reference dependence is prevalent in the UK property market, and both aspiration and social comparisons affect reference point dependence significantly. The observed behavioural bias in housing decisions are “predictably irrational”. The findings of this study pave the way for reliable economic modelling of such irrationality and a better understanding of behaviours in the housing market.

Influence of Cultural Orientations on Electronic Word-of-Mouth (eWOM) in Social Media

ABSTRACTThis study explores how horizontal/vertical individualism and collectivism (HVIC) orientations influence electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) (i.e., opinion leadership and opinion seeking) in social media. Online survey panel data through Amazon MTurk were collected from American social media users to address the research purpose. The results, using the structural equation modeling, show that the paths from horizontal individualism to opinion leadership, vertical individualism to opinion leadership and opinion seeking, horizontal collectivism to opinion leadership, and vertical collectivism to opinion leadership and opinion seeking were significant. This study provides theoretical and managerial implications regarding the influence of HVIC orientations on eWOM in social media.

Methods for analytic intercategorical intersectionality in quantitative research: Discrimination as a mediator of health inequalities

RationaleIntersectionality as a theoretical framework has gained prominence in qualitative research on social inequity. Intercategorical quantitative applications have focused primarily on describing health or social inequalities across intersectional groups, coded using cross-classified categories or interaction terms. This descriptive intersectionality omits consideration of the mediating processes (e.g., discrimination) through which intersectional positions impact outcome inequalities, which offer opportunities for intervention. ObjectiveWe argue for the importance of a quantitative analytic intersectionality. We identify methodological challenges and potential solutions in structuring studies to allow for both intersectional heterogeneity in outcomes and in the ways that processes such as discrimination may cause these outcomes for those at different intersections. MethodTo incorporate both mediation and exposure-mediator interaction, we use VanderWeele's three-way decomposition methodology, adapt the interpretation for application to analytic intersectionality studies, and present a step-by-step analytic approach. Using online panel data collected from Canada and the United States in 2016 (N = 2542), we illustrate this approach with a statistical analysis of whether and to what extent observed inequalities in psychological distress across intersections of ethnoracial group and sexual or gender minority (SGM) status may be explained by past-year experiences of day-to-day discrimination, assessed using the Intersectional Discrimination Index (InDI). Results and conclusionsWe describe actual and adjusted intersectional inequalities in psychological distress and decompose them to identify three component effects for each of 11 intersectional comparison groups (e.g., Indigenous SGM), versus the reference intersectional group that experienced the lowest levels of discrimination (white non-SGM). These reflect the expected inequality in outcome: 1) due to membership in the more discriminated-against group, if its members had experienced the same lower levels of discrimination as the reference intersection; 2) due to unequal levels of discrimination; and 3), due to unequal effects of discrimination. We present considerations for use and interpretation of these methods.