Role Of Online Communication Research Articles

Unpacking the black box: An investigation of online crisis communication patterns among stakeholders in the NIMBY conflict

Conflicts caused by NIMBY facilities pose significant threats to urban harmony and sustainability. Ubiquitous online access undoubtedly exacerbates social tensions, and discerning “who is doing what?” is critical for urban managers during crisis communication. However, communication patterns among online stakeholders in NIMBY conflicts have not been comprehensively investigated. Based on Social-Mediated Crisis Communication theory, this research crawls 66,831 Sina blogs to reveal the evolution of online messages and the interaction patterns of diverse stakeholders. Findings show that stakeholders release messages with different emphases and play different roles. Specifically, government functions as the “leader”, who plays a dominant role in online communication; news organizations function as the “bridge”, receiving and spreading information released by governments to other stakeholders with an efficient transmission function; media practitioners function as the “regulator”, mainly posting rumor management messages to clarify misinformation and alleviate social tensions; and citizen agents function as both “receiver” and “promulgator”, who receive information from other stakeholders and also disseminate opinions to other netizens. These findings can advance the existing knowledge body of NIMBY crisis communication and yield valuable inputs for evidence-based policymaking in conflict management in China and beyond. • Social-Mediated Crisis Communication was applied to investigate online NIMBY crisis communication patterns. • The dynamic communication networks among stakeholders were investigated. • The influential actors in different stages of online crisis communication in NIMBY conflict were identified.

Language Analysis and the Role of Facebook Hashtags in Pakistan

Over the past few years, online hashtags have gained tremendous fame mainly because of two reasons: first, as digital information trackers and second, as short and spontaneous communication tags. The present study aims to explore language factors in three types of Facebook hashtags, that is, long, short, and multiple mixed. It further investigates each factor’s role in online communication by performing an in-depth examination through activities and close-ended questions. First, it identifies factors through the writing activities where participants wrote different hashtags with their intention behind each hashtag. It follows interpretation activities in which other participants wrote their interpretations about the already written hashtags. Further, a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire was developed to note participants’ opinions about hashtags which were evaluated by the SPSS factor analysis test. Results of the study are divided into three sections and showed that lack of adequate vocabulary and lower casing is an important factor affecting digital communication in Pakistan. It is also suggested that teachers should play their part to improve informal writing and digital literacy in Pakistan.

Usernames on a Finnish Online Marketplace for Illegal Drugs

Usernames play a major role in online communication by providing a vital first impression and including clues about the identities and personal characteristics of users. Usernames are extremely important in the online trade of illegal drugs, which carries several risks and therefore requires a high degree of trust between the transaction parties. This study examines how sellers and buyers of illegal drugs represent themselves in their usernames. Data on 1,654 usernames collected from a Finnish darknet marketplace, Torilauta (2017–2020) are analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The usernames are mostly in Finnish and often feature slang and spoken language expressions. Many names include clues about a user’s age, gender, and location. References to various illegal drugs in usernames were found to express a close relationship with the substances. In contrast, they only rarely utilize typical real-life marketing strategies, which suggests that the users do not seek publicity and do not wish to enhance their online reputation. Differences between drug sellers’ and buyers’ usernames are minimal, possibly because of group overlap. Overall, it appears that the users aim to blend in with the drug user community rather than stand out from it by building distinctive images of themselves.

La costruzione dell'immaginario M5S attraverso i social media: qual è stato il ruolo del Direttorio? = The construction of M5S imaginary through social media: what has the role of the Directorate been?

Over the last decade, the term populism has become increasingly popular. However, due to the mutability of populist movements and the diversity of the contexts in which they have developed, it has been difficult to place the different manifestations of the populist phenomenon within a single ideology. In fact, a populist narrative seems to resort to the cultural toolkit at its disposal, drawing from time to time on different components of the social and cultural environment in which it is immersed, without being crystallized in a coherent and static ideology. From this perspective, populism can therefore be traced back to the type of discourse used to frame a political event, in which the narrative component of the discourse is used strategically – or adaptively – to constitute a multifaceted and contradictory political identity to which everyone can refer even if not all the instances are shared. To investigate the hypotheses regarding the role of online communication in the construction of such populist narratives, we will analyse all the tweets produced by the three best known representatives of the Five Star Movement (Alessandro Di Battista, Luigi Di Maio and Raffaele Fico) from 2013 to 2019 by means of computational techniques. Starting from the works that have already defined the communicative style of the founder Beppe Grillo, our goal is to shift the attention to the Directorate, the plural leadership of the Five Star Movement innovative organizational structure and understand its role in the construction of the social imaginary connected to the party.

The Role of Online Media Communication in Increasing Tourism Promotion in Bangka Regency

The purpose of this research was to determine the role of online media communication in efforts to improve tourism promotion in Bangka Regency. This type of research is a survey research with a qualitative-quantitative method approach (mix method). The subjects in this study were 110 respondents. The sample framework uses non probability sampling with accidental sampling technique. The scale used in this study is a Likert’s scale. Data analysis uses in this research is descriptive analysis. Data were collected by inventory questionnaire, participant observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation. Analysis of content validity was conducted by expert judgment and construct validity, reliability analysis was conducted using Cronbach’s Alpha formula. Data were analyzed by correlation, simple regression, assisted by SPSS 22 ver. computer program. Simple linear regression analysis where to see the contribution made by online media communication as variable (X) to tourism promotion as variable (Y). The result showed that, the role of online communication by 12.5% in effort to increase tourism promotion in Bangka Regency and 87.50% (100% - 12.50%). The results obtained through the calculation of the regression Y = 16,919 + 0,181 X, the coefficient of determination 16,919 + 0.181 (2) = 16,919 + 0.362 Y (Promotion) = 17,281. Hypothesis result, H0 was rejected and accepted H1, which means Online Media Communication has play Role to improve/ ingcreas tourism promotion in Bangka regency.
 Keywords: Online Media Communication, Tourism Promotion, Bangka Regency

The role of online communication among spousal caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease

ABSTRACT This study investigates (1) the importance of online communication for female caregivers (2) the impact of this form of maintaining social contact on well-being among 48 Polish spousal female caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and self-completion questionnaires. Caregivers’ online communication usage intensity was significantly associated with lower levels of depression and loneliness. Older women used online support groups to share their emotions related to the burden of providing care, to maintain a sense of social connection with other caregivers, and to access information about the disease. The results indicated Internet use has both positive and negative influences on the well-being of older women caregivers.

The Role of Flag Emoji in Online Political Communication

Flags are important national symbols that have transcended into the digital world with inclusion in the Unicode character set. Despite their significance, there is little information about their role in online communication. This article examines the role of flag emoji in political communication online by analyzing 640,676 tweets by the most important political parties and Members of Parliament in Germany and the United States. We find that national flags are frequently used in political communication and are mostly used in-line with political ideology. As off-line, flag emoji usage in online communication is associated with external events of national importance. This association is stronger in the United States than in Germany. The results also reveal that the presence of the national flag emoji is associated with significantly higher engagement in Germany irrespective of party, whereas it is associated with slightly higher engagement for politicians of the Republican party and slightly lower engagement for Democrats in the United States. Implications of the results and future research directions are discussed.

Tweet with a smile: The selection and use of emoji on Twitter in the Netherlands and England

Emoji, colourful pictographs showing faces, creatures and objects, have seen a surge in popularity and number in recent years. This exploratory study strives to answer the following question: how and why are emoji used on Twitter in the Netherlands and England? By combining quantitative and qualitative methods, we identified three important factors explaining emoji usage: the individual’s purpose on Twitter, the perceived functionality of emoji and the individual’s selection criteria for emoji. Overall, emoji play an important role in online communication and their use is more complex than their light-hearted appearance may suggest.

The role of online communication in avoiding perceived restrictiveness of shopping websites

PurposeThis paper aims to examine and highlight the influence of perceived restrictiveness on online communication, and in relation, the reduction of uncertainty in purchasing decisions.Design/methodology/approachBy testing statistical associations between such variables as uncertainty, perceived restrictiveness and online communications, the authors are to establish the prevalence of a phenomenon with quantitative methods that collect survey data from more than 500 real customers of a popular Chinese e-commerce site – Taobao.com.FindingsThe findings show that the perceived restrictiveness of a shopping website has a significantly role in motivating individuals to engage with each other by initiating online communication that leads to information acquirement and exchange. In addition, online communication that takes place between buyers and sellers, or among buyers, is found to be an important factor in the process of making purchasing decisions by customers.Originality/valueThis paper adds significance to the extant academic literature as well as assists the appropriate e-commerce vendors in assessing the determinants of customer’s purchasing behavior in the context where online shopping platforms do not support buyers’ desired decision options. It further reconciles and supplements the findings of the previous e-commerce-related studies that focus on the website characteristics only without bringing in the role of customer’s perceived restrictiveness.

P203 The ‘lexicon of love’: understanding types of relationships as primary contexts of STI transmission

IntroductionSocial contextual factors are often not taken into account when examining STI transmission. Understanding relationship types is central to targeting sexual health services, such as partner notification. This study examines the public’s understandings of the language used to describe different types of partners and sexual relationships.MethodsA qualitative study, involving six focus groups was conducted in Scotland and England. Purposive sampling recruited 38 participants, including young heterosexuals (n=22) and gay men and other men who have sex with men (n=16). A semi-structured topic guide was used to facilitate the discussion, which included interactive tasks. An integrative thematic analytic approach was adopted by synthesising both textual data and the data derived from the interactive tasks.ResultsFindings highlighted the diverse ways that relationships are understood and the fluid nature of partner types. Themes illustrated the importance of a range of contextual factors such as the variable nature of sexual relationships and key differences in their affective elements, the importance of peer context, social identities and developmental trajectories and the role of online communication in developing and shaping sexual networks and partnership formation.DiscussionSocial identities and people’s historical and geographic context ‘shape’ the way people talk about relationships. Fluidity and contextualisation are two key elements to be taken into consideration in understanding the language and terms used to describe relationships. From a public health perspective, understanding relationship types can unveil pathways to understand transmission patterns of STIs and provide more effective sexual health services.

The Role of Online Communication in Long-Term Cyberbullying Involvement Among Girls and Boys.

Digital media, especially mobile communication technologies, enable adolescents to explore and experiment with each other with only limited adult control. Conflicts between peers can be easily staged since nearly everybody can be reached at any time under the radar of authorities. Therefore, involvement in conflicts and bullying might depend on how adolescents use and behave online. In the present study, we provide a comprehensive picture of the role aspects of online communication play in long-term involvement in cyberbullying. We focused on a gender-specific perspective, as girls and boys were found to differ not only according to their online communication but also in their cyberbullying involvement. Using a two-wave panel survey of 1817 adolescents between 13 and 17years (56% female), we found that girls' cyberbullying involvement (perpetration and victimization) could be traced back to more intensive online social activities and a higher amount of online contact with strangers. In contrast, for boys, only higher exposure to antisocial media content predicted higher levels of victimization over time. The findings indicate that certain patterns of online communication increase the cyberbullying risk over time. However, it needs to be noted that these risk factors vary between girls and boys.

The Impact of Online Communication on Learning English: A Case Study of Saudi EFL Learners

This study examined the perceptions and views of Saudi undergraduate EFL learners regarding the role of online communication in improving their English, including the basic skills and the other aspects of language learning. It also aimed to identify the impact of some factors on the learners' perceptions on the role of online communication in developing their English level. This study is quantitatively designed in which a written questionnaire was used to collect the data of the study during the first semester of the academic year 2015-2016 from 171 randomly selected students who joined different levels in English Department, College of Sciences and Arts, University of Bisha, Saudi Arabia. For analyzing the data of the study, different statistical techniques in Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), 21.0 version were ran. The results indicated that the students had high positive perceptions of the significant role of online communication in fostering their English. Furthermore, it was found that there were statistically significant differences in the online communication scores for the factors of foreign friendship, university level, and the frequent use of the Internet. On the contrary, the results revealed that there were no statistically significant differences in the online communication scores for the other two factors of age and the frequent use of English online. Students are invited more than ever before to grasp every online chance for developing their English. In particular, they are required to employ online communication not only for socialization purposes, but for using it as an educational tool as well.

Online communication predicts Belgian adolescents' initiation of romantic and sexual activity.

Online communication is associated with offline romantic and sexual activity among college students. Yet, it is unknown whether online communication is associated with the initiation of romantic and sexual activity among adolescents. This two-wave panel study investigated whether chatting, visiting dating websites, and visiting erotic contact websites predicted adolescents' initiation of romantic and sexual activity. We analyzed two-wave panel data from 1163 Belgian adolescents who participated in the MORES Study. We investigated the longitudinal impact of online communication on the initiation of romantic relationships and sexual intercourse using logistic regression analyses. The odds ratios of initiating a romantic relationship among romantically inexperienced adolescents who frequently used chat rooms, dating websites, or erotic contact websites were two to three times larger than those of non-users. Among sexually inexperienced adolescents who frequently used chat rooms, dating websites, or erotic contact websites, the odds ratios of initiating sexual intercourse were two to five times larger than that among non-users, even after a number of other relevant factors were introduced. This is the first study to demonstrate that online communication predicts the initiation of offline sexual and romantic activity as early as adolescence. Practitioners and parents need to consider the role of online communication in adolescents' developing sexuality. • Adolescents increasingly communicate online with peers. • Online communication predicts romantic and sexual activity among college students. What is New: • Online communication predicts adolescents' offline romantic activity over time. • Online communication predicts adolescents' offline sexual activity over time.

The Role of Online Communication in the Lives of Military Spouses

The present study explored the impact of online communication and social networking sites on military spouses as they experienced a deployment of their spouse. Qualitative data were collected through one-on-one, semi-structured Skype interviews with ten married military spouses from Eastern North Carolina. Phenomenological data analysis revealed three major themes: (1) social media and its purpose in the life of military spouses; (2) social media and its role in maintaining the relationships among military couples; and (3) implications for therapists to incorporate online communication into treatment plans of military couples around the topics of relocation, deployment, reintegration, and mental health. Key findings suggest that the use of online communication during a military deployment is a positive influence and support for military spouses. The present study provides insights into the life of military spouses and how they use online communication, including social media, as a tool for relational maintenance. By better understanding the function of social media and online communication for military spouses, family therapists can better assist military families through deployments and wartime separations.

Use of Microblogs in Grassroots Movements in China: Exploring the Role of Online Networking in Agenda Setting

This study examines the role of online networking in a grassroots movement in China. Drawing on Manuel Castells’s theory of communication power in the network society, we argue that microblogs can facilitate China’s mass self-communication in a network environment, even under authoritarian control, and are able to challenge the power of agenda setting, which has been mainly dominated by the state and the state media. We study a grassroots movement in China and examine the ways in which messages were communicated and people were connected into a network. Thus we investigate the role of online communication in reconfiguring the balance of power between the authority and Chinese citizens. Using systematic data collection and social network analysis, we characterize the microbloggers who contributed to the process, the network configuration, and the interplays between different stakeholders.

The model and role of online communication in intercultural management

Abstract Communication via the Internet, regardless use of available tools, contributed significantly in reduced time of data flow and feedback reception. This is particularly important in case of companies with a complex structure and branches around the world. Information is available here for almost „at fingertips”, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, regardless the time zone. Internet has also shortened the distance between message sender and recipient - in the form of direct information exchange (i.e. email exchange), as well as simplified the issue of indirect reach (i.e. via social networking sites or online campaigns). Although in literature of the subject many authors performed the analysis of mass communication models, but to no avail would seek for the flow chart strictly dedicated to the electronic exchange information. This article aims to present the model of online communication, drawing on best practices of mass communication and at the same time implementing components of the electronic promotion. The paper is also contributed to show the universality of such model application in the exchange of information within electronic means, which seems important in case of intercultural management.

Radiological journals in the online world: should we think Open?

The scientific community is becoming increasingly web-based and the role of online communication is continuously expanding. In this setting, one fact and two trends should be considered. The fact is the decision by Britain's government and by the European Union to make all papers deriving from projects that were paid for using public funds freely available online for reading and redistribution (an approach already widely used in the US). The trends are the 'open review' process and the future perspective of having online-only scientific journals; the balance of advantages and disadvantages of such an approach is debated. These factors are challenging the scientific community worldwide and radiological scientific societies should play a relevant role in driving these processes. • Research funded by the EU and Britain's government will soon be freely available • The open-review process has started in certain scientific communities, but not yet within radiology • Online communication is increasing its power within the scientific community.

The role of online communication in raising awareness of bilingual identity

The role of online communication in raising awareness of bilingual identity

The role of online communication in raising awareness of bilingual identity

Children of binational couples are often raised in the community of one of the parents and, thus, have limited exposure to the language of the other parent. This study focuses on a British/Moroccan family in the UK, where English is the dominant home language and Moroccan Arabic is the ‘other’ language. Analysis of ‘live’ family conversations at home in the UK and ‘online’ conversations with cousins in Morocco indicate that using Moroccan Arabic at home is often seen as a chore, whereas in online conversations it is seen as fun. The use of computer-mediated communication appears to have contributed to a more positive attitude towards using the language and developing a bilingual identity.

Adolescents’ use of Instant Messaging as a means of emotional relief

Instant Messaging (IM) plays a major role in online communication, whether through dedicated software or through chat integrated in a social network’s platform. IM-based online conversation enables private, synchronous, interpersonal communication while being invisible and possibly anonymous; facilitates self-disclosure and intimacy; and possesses advantageous features of expressive writing and social support. For adolescents, the use of IM is a legitimate, available, and free alternative vehicle for communicating with peers to ventilate negative emotions and to receive social support and advice. The present study examined effects of IMing friends on the emotional state of distressed adolescents through both pre-post (n=100) analyses and comparison with an un-distressed group (n=50). Dependent measures included self-report questionnaires, textual analysis, and expert judges’ evaluations of the conversations. Findings revealed that IM conversation significantly contributed to the well-being of distressed adolescents. In addition, participants’ level of introversion–extroversion moderated the degree of their perceived emotional relief, so that introverted participants profited from IMing more than did extraverts. The implications of these findings are discussed in the context of online communication theory, as well as the practical implementations for troubled adolescents.