Social Interaction Perspective Research Articles

Dynamic Interpersonal Processes at Work: Taking Social Interactions Seriously

Dynamic interpersonal processes are the core foundation of many phenomena of interest to organizational psychology and organizational behavior scholars. This article views the organization as a system of social interaction. From this vantage point, I present a selective review of the current literature that supports a behavioral interaction perspective of interpersonal processes at work. I organize insights into phenomena such as (emergent) leadership, team processes, change management, coaching, selection, and negotiation according to the respective interaction constellation (i.e., dyadic, group, or across the organizational boundary). For each of these constellations, I highlight key empirical insights into behavioral interaction dynamics at the core of each interpersonal phenomenon. I discuss gaps and derive commonalities across different interaction constellations. To promote the consistent pursuit of a social interaction perspective and theory-method alignment, I derive a future research agenda including methodological recommendations for identifying meaningful patterns of social interaction at work.

Sociotechnical perspectives of digital technologies in sustainable mining

This paper adopts an interpretive case study approach to understand the role of digital technologies in addressing seemingly contradictory sustainability goals in mining. The sociotechnical model of information systems was used as a framework to guide the analysis of twenty-five in-depth interviews with globally dispersed digital technology experts working collaboratively at an industry-leading hi-tech mining solutions company. The sociotechnical-led thematic analysis findings highlight the trade-offs experts face in balancing narrow technological imperatives and economic outcomes with broader sustainability goals. The analysis moves beyond the technological and economic to a harmonious perspective of social, human, environmental, and technological interactions. A visual thematic map is presented to aid practitioners in designing and optimally implementing digital technologies to simultaneously address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals while prioritising business sustainability. We conclude by drawing from the proposed sociotechnical perspectives approach for digital sustainability to provide scholars with possible pathways for future responsible information systems research.

Insights for opponents on fostering interaction in the public defence of a doctoral dissertation

The public defence of a doctoral dissertation is a multifaceted, demanding interaction situation, in which the Doctoral Candidate and the Opponent have a conversation about the Candidate’s doctoral dissertation. The public defence is an honoured tradition and, in many countries, one of the key celebratory moments in academia. In Finland, the event is public and rather formal. The public defence has received little focus in research and academic discussion from the perspective of social interaction, in which the Opponent has a central role. The interpersonal communication competence of the Opponent largely determines the nature of the public defence. Hence, there is need for guidelines and support for the Opponents’ communication. The aim of our article is to describe the typical conventions of Finnish public defence for those unfamiliar with it and provide insights into public defence as an interaction situation. Additionally, we offer communication guidelines for the Opponents on how to construct effective and appropriate interaction in public defence and help those granted the honour to prepare and conduct their duties competently. We cover both the interpersonal conversation between the Candidate and the Opponent, and the engagement with the listeners.

Research on the Business Model of Pinduoduo Based on User Analysis

In today's digital age, e-commerce platforms have become an integral part of the business ecosystem. These platforms have redefined the traditional way of business transactions through innovative business models and user analysis methods, and have greatly influenced consumers' shopping experience and enterprises' business strategies. This paper aims to deeply explore the business model of an e-commerce platform based on user analysis by taking Pinduoduo as an example, to reveal the successful mechanism and operational points behind it. Analyzing Pinduoduo's business model and marketing strategy by literature review and case comparison methods, this article attributes Pinduoduo's business success to its adoption of social shopping, group buying, low-price goods, and user interaction. Additionally, this paper forecasts Pinduoduo's development prospects from the perspective of user experiences and social interaction. I hope to provide some theoretical support for future researchers.

Female Gendering of Artificial Intelligence in Travel: A Social Interaction Perspective

ABSTRACT Implementing artificial intelligence enables the travel industry to improve efficiency, attract customers, and enhance their experiences. However, the typically biased social perceptions of humans are now applied to artificial intelligence, which has reinforced its female gendering in the industry. Nevertheless, the mechanism of its gendering process remains unclear. Guided by the gender theory, this study has explored how gendering is constructed through the social interaction perspective. Sixteen respondents who interacted with service robots or virtual assistants during their trip were recruited and interviewed via Zoom. Our findings suggest that the female gendering of artificial intelligence can be mapped from human-human to human-artificial intelligence interaction. Four main factors related to the social construction of the gendering process are identified. The findings contribute to understanding human-technology interaction and help tourism practitioners find a more cost-effective way to integrate human-technology collaboration strategies into their daily operations.

Fostering public climate change discussions from a social interaction perspective.

Public discussions on climate change, as a form of social interaction, are widely recognized as effective tools for promoting collective action. However, there is limited research on examining the factors that influence climate change discussions from a social interaction perspective. In the present study, we conducted a large sample (N = 1,169) survey to investigate personal (such as self-efficacy and personal response efficacy) and others' (such as perceived others' response efficacy and social norms) factors influencing climate change discussions from a social interaction perspective. The results showed that (i) for people with high climate change perceptions, personal response efficacy, self-efficacy, and social norms have positive effects on climate change discussions, but the effect of perceived others' response efficacy on climate change discussion is not significant; (ii) for people with low climate change perceptions, self-efficacy and social norms have positive effects on climate change discussions, but the effects of personal response efficacy and perceived others' response efficacy on climate change discussion are not significant; (iii) irrespective of individuals' high or low perceptions of climate change, social norm remains the most important predictor of climate change discussions. These findings make valuable contributions to the theoretical literature and intervention efforts regarding climate change discussions from a social interaction perspective.

Resource Mobilization and Power Redistribution: The Role of Local Governments in Shaping Residents’ Pro-Environmental Behavior in Rural Tourism Destinations

This research investigates residents’ pro-environmental behavior from the unique perspective of government-resident interactions. Guided by social movement theory, how local governments regulate residents’ waste-sorting behavior in Chinese rural tourism destinations is assessed. This longitudinal study (lasting from 2016 to 2022) uses participant observation, in-depth interviews ( N = 25), and secondary data as the key research techniques. The dual roles of local governments (i.e., resource mobilization and power redistribution) jointly shape residents’ pro-environmental behavior in the waste-sorting campaign. Resource mobilization enhances knowledge of waste-sorting and raises individuals’ environmental consciousness. Power redistribution within groups activates social networks in rural communities and changes groups’ social capital to influence residents’ collective behavior. Results are discussed in relation to how the organizational-level resource mobilization and power redistribution influence the individual-level environmental psychological and sociological factors in shaping residents’ waste-sorting behavior. Practical recommendations are offered for sustainable tourism management from a social interaction perspective.

Building a Brand: A Social Interaction Perspective

There is a proliferation of brands in the country. Companies after companies are launching products, trying to build them into brands, some succeeding, and some coming up short. It is a topic of hot discussion in all academic and even industrial circles. But there is still a gap when it comes to the proper understanding of the term brand as well as brand building. Different people perceive it in different ways. Consequently what are all the steps which forms the process of brand building still remains under debate. In this article we go through different literature to discuss what exactly is meant by branding and also the different stages of the brand building process based on a social interaction perspective.

Development and validation of a robot social presence measurement dimension scale

Robots that can exhibit human-like behaviour, build social relationships with humans, and carry out social interaction that can be considered to have a social presence. Measuring the social presence of robots can provide an important basis for optimizing the design of robots’ human-like behaviour, but until now, there has been no research and discussion on the presence of robots from the perspective of social interaction. Based on related studies, such as the theory of the presence of interpersonal interaction society, the mechanism of network social presence measurement and human–computer interaction, this study constructs a theoretical model of robot social presence, and develops corresponding measurement scales with five dimensions, namely, the presence, attention distribution, interactive expression and information understanding, perceived emotional interdependence, and interaction behaviour perception. The 5-dimensional robot social presence model was finalized, and a 17-question questionnaire scale was developed. The validation of the model and the development of the scale includes one expert assessment (involving three experts), one user interview (involving five interviewees), and two questionnaire surveys (involving 172 valid questionnaires and 494 valid questionnaires respectively). The final model shows good reliability of the measurement questionnaire, high inter-factor correlation, high model fit, high internal consistency of the dimensions, high reliability of the scale, and high convergent validity of all dimensions. This study provides a theoretical basis for the study of robot social presence and human–robot collaboration and provides a reference measurement tool for social robot-related development and research.

The impact of peer effect on students' consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages- instrumental variable evidence from north China

Sugar intake is approaching problematic levels among Chinese children and adolescents. Chinese governments have issued and supervised the implementation of relevant administrative regulations, which have not achieved good results. Peers are the most important social factors influencing children and adolescents' behavior and decision-making besides family members. This study examines how the peer effect impacts SSB consumption. To clarify this relationship, we use the nutritional cognition of peers' parents as an instrumental variable to resolve the endogeneity problem and employ the two-stage least squares estimation method to investigate the data of 4,118 students in north China. The results show a significant positive correlation between sugar intake among peers, indicating that individuals are more likely to consume excessive amounts of sugar when their peers also engage in this behavior. We find that the peer effect is enhanced with increased popularity among one's peers and gradually decreases as the distance within the social network increases. It is also more significant in short-term friendships than in long-term friendships. Our findings provide a basis for school-level intervention programs from the perspective of social interaction to regulate healthy eating behaviors and nutritional perceptions among children and adolescents through peer relationships. It also confirms the feasibility of reducing individual sugar intake by increasing nutritional awareness among adolescents and parents.

How social interaction induce energy-saving behaviors in buildings: Interpersonal & passive interactions v.s. public & active interactions

Programs and policies that reduce energy consumption take the home, workplaces, and communities as the unit of analysis, with little consideration of the social interactions among people. Based on social interaction theory and behavioral decision-making theory, this paper conducted a questionnaire study and collected >1000 samples to analyze the effects of social relationships, active or passive interaction, and individual characteristics on energy-saving behaviors at different levels of difficulty, such as habit adjustments, equipment upgrades, and housing retrofits. The results show that social interactions positively contribute to individual energy-saving behaviors, but there are significant differences in the effects on different behaviors. Low-difficulty energy-saving behaviors are susceptible to interpersonal and passive interactions, while high-difficulty energy-saving behaviors are susceptible to public relations and active interactions. In addition, individual perceived value and information processing depth play a mediating and moderating role, respectively, in the impact of social interactions on energy-saving behaviors. Based on a new social interaction perspective, the findings of this paper can provide scientific support for the formulation of differentiated, non-economically motivated energy-saving policies.

How professional status influences Botswana teachers’ self-perceived professional identity: A social symbolic interaction perspective

This study aimed to gain a deep understanding of how teachers in Botswana develop their professional identity and how it is shaped by their professional status. Using a qualitative approach, in-depth interviews were conducted to understand how teachers develop their professional identity. Based on a social symbolic interaction perspective, this study's findings revealed that being a teacher is informed by various social interactions within teachers' contexts. Furthermore, this study revealed that a teacher's professional identity is shaped by the professional status of teaching. Teachers' narratives reveal social interactions, such as limited resources and interactions with students, parents, society, and educational administration, which are constructs of teachers' professional identity. The practical implications for effecting change in the educational system include addressing resource disparities, reallocating educational resources, and enhancing autonomy. Rather than grade bands based on performance and qualification, factors such as experience and demonstrated competence could be considered. Lastly, strengthening regulations that pertain to the teaching profession and providing official recognition may also contribute to reshaping teachers' professional identity.

Effects of parenting styles on gender differences of adolescents’ non-cognitive abilities: an empirical study in China

ABSTRACT Gender differences in non-cognitive abilities are important in explaining the “female advantage” in education. The existing literature, however, has not yet given a clear answer as to why gender differences in non-cognitive skills arise. Based on the theoretical perspective of social interaction, this research analyses how parenting styles affect gender differences in adolescents’ non-cognitive skills during the family education process and discusses the differential patterns of these effects among different social classes. The study found that there are significant gender differences in the non-cognitive skills of Chinese adolescents. Girls’ non-cognitive skills are higher than that of boys, and this gender difference is more obvious among non-elite social class. Parents put stricter constraints on and communicate more frequently with girls than boys, which has a great impact on the gender differences in non-cognitive abilities of teenagers and exert differentiated impact on elite and non-elite class.

Relational Victimization and Video Game Addiction among Female College Students during COVID-19 Pandemic: The Roles of Social Anxiety and Parasocial Relationship.

Video game addiction, a common behavioral problem among college students, has been more prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic; at the same time, females' video game usage has also attracted considerable research attention. Against this background and under the perspective of social interaction, this study aimed to examine the relationship between relational victimization and video game addiction among female college students, as well as its underlying mechanism-the mediating roles of social anxiety and parasocial relationships with virtual characters. Female college students (N = 437) were recruited to complete a set of questionnaires voluntarily in June 2022. Through the mediating effect analysis, the results found that (1) relational victimization was positively associated with female college students' video game addiction; (2) social anxiety and parasocial relationships with virtual characters could independently mediate this relation; (3) social anxiety and parasocial relationships with virtual characters were also the serial mediators in this association. These findings not only expand previous studies by revealing the social motivation of video game usage and the underlying mechanism accounting for video game addiction, but also provide basis and guidance for the prevention and intervention of video game addiction in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A framework for exploring digital entrepreneurship development from a social interaction perspective

There is almost universal agreement within extant studies that digital technologies such as social media and digital platforms have accelerated and expanded social networks on an unprecedented scale, generating a transformative impact entrepreneurial processes and outcomes. However, there have been limited studies conducted to investigate this significant phenomenon. We aim to address this gap by providing a framework to extend research knowledge in this area. We specifically focus on the online and offline social contexts that are impacting on digital entrepreneurship (DE) development. We investigate the role of these often blended network relations in DE, placing human relations and social interaction at the centre of the study, and shifting away from previous purely technological approaches. While many existing studies in related fields focus on either social networks or social capital, we study the association between them, in the context of DE. As a contribution to extending existing theory, we propose a new research framework to underpin future study, based on established concepts within the literature and our own research evidence. This framework provides a model of the relational linkages between types of social networks and social capital to enable researchers to explore how they impact on the actions and outcomes of DE. Our purpose is to encourage, inform and guide future empirical research, to focus on and develop an understanding of the crucial role of social network interaction in DE development.

Mandarin's Impact on Poverty Alleviation: An Empirical Study Based on Economic and Social Interaction Dimensions

This paper studies the effect of Mandarin proficiency on poverty reduction and its mechanism. The China General Social Survey (CGSS) is taken as the data source. From the perspective of social integration, the poverty reduction effect of Putonghua and its mechanism are empirically studied from the perspective of social interaction, social fairness, and social trust. The findings showed that improving the ability to listen and speak Mandarin positively affects social interaction, social trust, and social fairness. It showed that Putonghua proficiency positively correlates with the suppression of economic poverty. After the occurrence of poverty, whether a sample of absolute poverty or relative poverty, the ability to listen and speak in Mandarin has a specific inhibitory effect on social interaction, social trust, and social fairness. After the occurrence of poverty, the frequency of social interaction, social trust, and social public since have been reduced to a certain extent. Specifically, the ability to express Mandarin has shown remarkable results in improving social interaction, and the ability to listen among ordinary people has shown remarkable results in enhancing social fairness. The results of this paper provide empirical evidence of poverty alleviation in China via Improving Mandarin Proficiency. This research is also of great significance for optimizing poverty alleviation paths through language in the post-poverty alleviation era.

Teacher perpectives of social interaction in children with autism

Social interaction with others is considered to play an important role in an individual’s growth and psychological wellbeing. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurological disorder characterized by changes in social and interpersonal interactions, as well as limited and repetitive patterns, behaviors, interests, and activities. Planning suitable interventions for social skill development in children with autism requires a clear understanding of the social skills in children with autism. Teachers being a significant people who encounter and address of this children should have a clear understanding of the condition. Thus, the study aims to study the teacher’s perspective of social interaction in children with autism. 200 Teachers of children with autism were chosen for the study. The impact of variables like birth order, religion and parents’ occupation were analyzed. The results of the study are discussed in detail with its relevance to day-to-day situation in this article.

Prestige and Dominance: How eWOM Differs Between Consumers High in Authentic and Hubristic Pride.

Electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) influences consumers' purchase decisions, but few studies have investigated the antecedents that lead consumers to create different types of eWOM. From the perspective of social interactions, this research explored how two subtypes of pride not only compel consumers to create eWOM but also differently impact four types of eWOM and their mechanisms. Study 1 manipulated the pride state and found that authentic pride promoted positive eWOM and constructive eWOM, while hubristic pride promoted negative eWOM and destructive eWOM. Study 2 examined the effect of pride on eWOM at the trait level and tested the mediating effect of their use of social status pursuit strategy. Overall, this study increases the understanding of different types of eWOM and broadens the literature of the effect of pride and social status pursuit strategy in the context of consumption.

Negative social interactions and the persistence of depression: Evidence from the women of Westbury, South Africa

We explored women’s experiences of depression from the perspective of negative social interactions at the personal, family, and community levels. Informants were seven coloured women from Westbury, Johannesburg, South Africa (aged 28 – 56 years old). The participants answered open-ended questions on their experiences of depression at different levels within their setting. Thematic analysis of the data yielded six main categories of influence on women’s well-being: (i) intimate partner violence or infidelity; (ii) family conflict; (iii) the burden of care for children; (iv) exposure to community violence (v) socioeconomic challenges; and (vi) the stigmatisation of those with mental health disorders. Overall, the resultant social withdrawal accompanying these negative social interaction experiences require psychotherapeutic services and interventions aimed at promoting healthy social connections. Multidimensional approaches at the individual, family, and the community levels would enhance social cohesion and improve the well-being of women at risk for depression from negative social interactions.

Parental perspectives of social interaction in children with autism

Social interaction plays a substantial role in an individual’s life. Difficulty in social interaction is the significant feature of children with autism. Children with autism always show discomfort in communication and social interactions and produces behavioral problems. Parents being the significant members need to have proper understanding of the behaviours, conversation skills and factors contributing to the deficits in children with autism Thus, the study focused on identifying the parents perspective of social interaction in children with autism with 200 parents of children with. Initiating interaction, responding to initiation and maintaining interaction are the three areas of focus of the study. Differences in social interaction was examined with age, gender, level of autism, mode of communication, family type, educational qualification of parents and parents occupation were considered for the study. The findings of the studied significant difference with regard to parents educational qualification and social interaction of children with autism. The implication of the finding with regard to the study variables is discussed in detail in this article.