Influence Of Social Groups Research Articles

Social influence on post-drinking risky sexual behaviours: evidence in France and South Korea

Abstract Background Post-drinking risky sexual behaviours are at the conjunction of the dual risks of sexually transmitted infections and further problematic substance use, necessitating contextual analysis for determinants that promote these behaviours. This study examines the influence of social groups on post-drinking risky sexual behaviours in different cultural samples. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among young adults aged 18-30 in France and in South Korea in 2023-2024 (n = 998). A construct of post-drinking risky sexual behaviours includes 3 types: having sex without condoms, having sex with occasional partners, and having transactional sex. Perceived drinking norms were measured as a proportion. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted after controlling for sociodemographic factors. Results Young adults who reported that their social group had a higher proportion of drinkers were more likely to engage in a wider range of post-drinking risky sexual behaviours (aOR=1.02 [95%CI 1.01-1.03] in France; 1.01 [1.01-1.03] in Korea). Young adults in social groups who had experienced two types of risky sexual behaviours were more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviours after drinking (5.13 [2.21-14.1] in France; 10.65 [5.86-19.8] in Korea), compared to young adults in social groups with no experience. Young adults in social groups who had experienced all three types of risky sexual behaviours had a 10 times higher likelihood of engaging in post-drinking risky sexual behaviours in the French sample (10.12 [3.69-31.4]) and a 16 times higher likelihood in the Korean sample (16.0 [7.31-35.8]). Conclusions Alcohol-related risky sexual behaviours among young adults were found to be significantly associated with their social group’s drinking and risky sexual behaviours, across different cultural settings. More attention should be paid to direct/indirect influence of social groups on health risk behaviours. Key messages • The influence of social groups on alcohol-related risky sexual behaviours is significant regardless of cultural setting. • Peer and social norms-based health promotion is recommended to prevent IST and HIV/AIDS.

Sociopsychological factors of drug abuse among young females in Bangladesh and gender-specific vulnerabilities: Aligning with SDG 3 and SDG 5.

Drug consumption among young women in Bangladesh is increasing day by day. The research aims to analyze the factors influencing young females to take drugs in Bangladesh. This exploratory study was carried out using a qualitative research method. Primary data were collected via in-depth interviews. Seventeen addicted young women from Bangladesh were chosen for this study by a snowball sampling technique. The data from the interviews were thoroughly examined. Intimate relationships with family and friends have the greatest impact on women's drug use. Aligning with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 and SDG target 3.5, the study underscores the critical need for gender-sensitive approaches to address the unique vulnerabilities faced by young women. The findings revealed several factors that significantly impacted drug consumption among young women in Bangladesh, including the influence of social groups and peers, family-related issues, inadequate awareness and education on drugs, the ready availability of drugs, and psychological factors such as stress and curiosity. Additionally, women who use drugs often face severe social stigma and gender-based violence, which deters them from seeking help and exacerbates their addiction. Limited access to health services due to economic and societal constraints further hinders their ability to receive proper care and support. Implementing strategies that address these gender-specific factors will not only help mitigate drug abuse but also contribute to improved public health outcomes and advance sustainable development.

Withdrawal notice to: The five-factor model, social network, and social influence in instant messaging groups [Adv. Des. Res. 2 (2024) 14–25

Withdrawal notice to: The five-factor model, social network, and social influence in instant messaging groups [Adv. Des. Res. 2 (2024) 14–25

Home loans and Muslims – an Australian perspective

PurposeThis study aims to investigate how Australian Muslims make consumption-related decisions regarding the purchase of home loan products.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory research used in-depth semistructured interviews with community leaders from leading Muslim ethnic communities. Seventeen community leaders from the six largest Muslim community groups by country of birth and living in Melbourne and Sydney were selected for the interviews. The interview data was analyzed using NVivo 12.FindingsThe findings suggest that despite knowledge of and concern for Islamic tenets regarding the consumption of banking and financial products, including home loans, most Muslims viewed conventional home loans (CHL) as being permitted, essential or innocuous. Reasons for such views include the interpretation of Islamic tenets, limited awareness of available Islamic home loan offerings, convenience factors related to accessing CHL offerings, service quality levels, availability of technology-based services such as internet banking, and the influence of social groups and communities.Research limitations/implicationsThis research helps marketers understand the attitudes, subjective norms (SN) and behavioral factors related to the Muslim consumption of home loans.Practical implicationsThe findings of this research can facilitate the development of financial products and marketing strategies that better appeal to Muslims. Such loan products can improve the uptake of home loans (and, in effect, homeowners) by Muslims, potentially improving social and financial inclusion.Social implicationsThis research helps marketers understand the attitudes, SNs and behavioral factors related to the Muslim consumption of home loans, which can facilitate the development of financial products and marketing strategies that better appeal to Muslims. Such loan products can improve the uptake of home loans (and, in effect, homeowners) by Muslims, potentially improving social and financial inclusion.Originality/valueThis qualitative study explores the drivers of Muslim consumers’ uptake of home loans in Australia. Drawing upon the theory of planned behavior and the literature, antecedents to attitude, SNs and perceived behavioral control that influence intention and behavior were investigated. It identifies factors influencing decision-making related to home loans by Australian Muslims, contributing to a theoretical framework to investigate Muslims’ consumption of financial products.

WITHDRAWN: The five-factor model, social network, and social influence in instant messaging groups

Nowadays, instant messaging (IM) software is one of the most popular communication tools. Understanding the complex relationships between individual characteristics and social factors is crucial for enhancing the stickiness of IM groups. This study explores the influence of congenital and acquired factors on the stickiness of IM group users. In fact, this research studied the influence of five-factor model, social network, and social influence on stickiness of IM group users. Structural equation modeling was employed to examine the research hypotheses. The research findings revealed that four key personality traits (such as Extraversion, Neuroticism, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness) may influence the participation in the IM groups. In terms of social networks, emotional support networks have created an influence on the participation in instant messaging groups. As for the social influence, subjective norms and critical mass may affect the participation in IM groups. The obtained results may provide practical insights for the design and improvement of instant messaging software/applications. Moreover, the government can use the relevant findings to formulate policies and develop feasible administrative objectives.

Multi-view contrastive learning with virtual social group influence for social recommendation

Social recommendation systems leverage user–item interaction and user–user social network data to model user preferences and provide recommendations. Previous research has shown that capturing the influence of high-order neighbors and social groups in social networks can help model user preferences. However, challenges still exist in identifying important high-order neighbors from many candidates and modeling social group influence without direct information on social groups. This paper proposes a Multi-view Contrastive Learning with Social Group Influence (MCLSGI) method to address these challenges. Our approach uses a graph walk method to identify users’ virtual social groups and a GNN-based framework to model user preferences in different views, capturing the influence of direct and high-order neighbors as well as social groups. We also adopt multi-view contrastive learning to fuse users’ preferences in different views. We conducted experiments on two real-world datasets (Ciao and Epinions) to validate our method’s effectiveness. Compared to the best baseline, we improved by 1.39% and 1.21% with MAE, and 1.79% and 0.96% with RMSE.

The Influence of Social Groups on the Voting Behavior of the Resita Voter

The Influence of Social Groups on the Voting Behavior of the Resita Voter

Environmental Sustainability: Harmonizing Construction Mining Industry Practices with the Implementation of Green Consumption and Sustainable Building Materials in Bangalore, India

This research delves into the imperative of sustainable building materials, spurred by the ecological fallout from traditionally mined construction methods that inflicted harm on our shared ecosystem. As the 21st century dawned, a heightened consciousness necessitated a paradigm shift toward innovative and sustainable construction approaches, particularly in the dynamic urban landscape of Bangalore, a tier I city. The crux lies in harnessing smart, renewable, and bio-based materials, endowed with the dual prowess of carbon reduction and absorption across their lifecycle. However, the journey towards ecofriendly construction encounters barriers, ranging from limited material understanding to standardization dilemmas, the entanglement of multiple decision-makers, fiscal demands, perceived risks, and the pervasive influence of societal dynamics. Within this maze, we examine the role of green consumption goals as an instrumental variable to overcome these obstacles. Employing a carefully constructed questionnaire, data originates from 289 respondents within the construction sector in Bangalore and judgement sampling technique is used. The data are analysed using chi-square, ANOVA, correlation analysis, multiple regression. The finds showed that 38% agreed that their building material purchase decisions were influenced by social groups, while only 15% believed their decisions were unaffected by social group influence. As per Duncan Multiple Range Tests (DMRT), age plays a role in shaping individuals' perspectives and preferences related to sustainable construction practices. In summation, this exploration vigorously advocates for the expeditious adoption of sustainable construction practices, spotlighting the salience of green consumerism as an indispensable agent of change. The narrative converges on the imperative for a recalibration towards intelligent, sustainable practices a trajectory indispensable for forging an environmentally fortified future.

The Influence of Online Social Groups on Adolescents’ Self-Esteem and Academic Performance in China

In the digital era, adolescents in China are immersed in online social groups, which have become a prominent part of their lives. This study delves into the influence of online social groups on adolescents’ self-esteem and academic performance in China. We explore how participation in these groups affects self-esteem, investigate the potential link between online social group activities and academic performance, and weigh the positive and negative aspects of their influence. The findings shed light on the psychological implications of these dynamics and offer insights into potential interventions to promote healthy self-esteem and academic success among Chinese adolescents. Ethical considerations regarding responsible use of online social groups are also discussed.

Societal acceptance of urban drones: A scoping literature review

The use of drones (or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) in urban areas has emerged rapidly in the last decade, and continues to expand at an accelerating pace. Alongside the emergent uses of high-impact technology in both public and private sectors, political debates about the potential risks and challenges have arisen, encompassing diverse perspectives and attitudes about the ethical, legal, social, and regulatory implications of introducing and integrating new technology in society. This scoping review offers an assessment of the societal acceptance factors of urban drones discussed in the current academic literature. We used a hybrid approach including quantitative landscape mapping and qualitative content analysis of the selected articles to inductively develop a typology of acceptance factors associated with urban use of drones. This review illuminates areas that have been the focus of attention within the current body of knowledge (e.g., visual and noise pollution of drones), sketches the evolution of the relevant discussions over time (e.g., a focus on the safety of the drone technology toward safety of the cargo it carries and security of the data it collects), and points to areas that have received less considerations (e.g., media appropriation and social group influence). It can, thus, help situate the topic of societal acceptance of urban drones in specific contexts, and orient future research on promoting value sensitive innovation in society more broadly.

Ефективність заборони діяльності проросійських політичних партій: досвід та реалії

The legal regulation of the prohibition of political parties in Ukraine and foreign countries in the article is examined. The key issue in the issue of banning political parties is the mechanism of this ban and its effectiveness in protecting fundamental human rights, national security of Ukraine and protection of the democratic constitutional order. Since information security is an important front line, Ukraine is defending its independence and democracy in this area. In this regard, it is of particular relevance to improve national legislation and state policy in the field of information space protection and restriction of the activities of pro-Russian political parties. It is emphasized that the right to freedom of association of citizens into political parties is a reflection of the pluralistic nature of a democratic political regime. The activities of political parties allow for the real influence of various social groups on the political life of the State. At the same time, the need to ensure this pluralism and other constitutional values requires the legislator to introduce special mechanisms to protect the democratic constitutional order, in particular, by establishing special restrictions on the activities of public associations. The key issue in the prohibition of political parties is the mechanism of this prohibition and its effectiveness in protecting fundamental human rights, national security of Ukraine and protection of the democratic constitutional order. The main models of banning political parties are analyzed. The practice of banning political parties in Ukraine since 2014 in the context of Russia's hybrid aggression against Ukraine is considered. A mechanism for improving the legal regulation of the ban on the activities of pro-Russian political parties in Ukraine is proposed based on the experience of countries with stable democracies and taking into account the challenges facing Ukraine's national security today.

Self–Brand Connection and the Decision to Purchase Counterfeit and Original Luxury Brands in Tanzania

The research employed the method of Perceived Counterfeit Detection (PCD) to determine the significance of individuals' considerations in determining their decision to purchase original luxury brands. The study explored the relationship between self-brand connection and the purchase of counterfeit luxury brands, and also, evaluated the influence of economic benefits. The research was conducted through a survey of prospective luxury goods consumers, both original and counterfeit, in six malls located in two cities using a questionnaire. A sample of 930 participants was used, and the hypotheses were tested using a structural equation model. The findings indicate that an individual's self-concept might play a role in deciding whether to purchase an original or counterfeit luxury brand. It is noteworthy that the Perceived Counterfeit Detection completely influenced the relationship between self-brand connection and the decision to buy an original luxury brand. Furthermore, the study discovered that economic advantages intensified the inclination of consumers to buy counterfeit products in emerging economies. This contributes to the Social Identity Theory, suggesting that in scenarios heavily influenced by personal development, social pressure from one's social group might override individual moral considerations such as self-brand connection. The findings of this study hold considerable importance for managers and marketers as they enhance their comprehension of the influential role that individuals play in influencing the purchase of luxury brands. Marketing strategies need to consider the influence of family and social groups on buying choices, and advertisements should be customized accordingly.

RELIGIOSITY AND INTENTION TO ADOPT ISLAMIC FINANCING: INDIVIDUAL CONTROL AS A MEDIATOR?

Islamic Financing in Indonesia has not fully received the public's attention because the application of Islamic financing does not follow Sharia principles and Islamic law. This literature review aims to assist in understanding Islamic financing concerning the intention to use Islamic financing from the perspective of MSME owner-managers. Literature review method based on journals related to the keywords "attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, religiosity, Islamic financing" on the website https://scholar.google.com in the period 2013-2022. The results of previous research are summarized into four points: (1) most of the research was conducted in countries with Muslim majority populations; (2) the Theory of Planned Behavior was used as the theory underlying the research; (3) religiosity is an additional predictor because it is related to acceptance Islamic Financing by Muslim; and (4) the majority of research subjects are owner-manager of SMEs. The conclusion is the influence of individual assessment (attitudes) and social groups (subjective norms) affects individual control in the decision-making process by individuals. Religiosity may play a role in strengthening the relationship between individual assessment and social groups of perceived behavioral control. In the end, individual control influences the intention to use Islamic Financing.

Service Quality Factors Influencing the Use of Artificial Intelligent Security Technology in UAE

This study assessed various factors related to service quality ininfluencing artificial intelligence security technology. It was carried out through quantitative approach where the data of respondents perceptionsof UAE citizens towards the enhancing service quality in the UAE's AI security sectorwas derived through queationnaire survey. The factors were categorized in four groups which are performance expectancy group with seven factors; effort expectancy group with seven factors; social influencegroup with four factors; and facilitates condition group with five factors. With these factors, the respondents were requested to gauge the degree of influence of each factor using 5-points likert scale. The questionnairesurvey managed to secure 359 completed questionnaire forms. The data from these forms were analysed using descriptive statistic. It was found that facilitates conditiongroup of factor is the most influencing category on service quality to adopt AI technology. It can be concluded that theoverall results indicate that facilitates condition, effort expectancy and performance expectancy groups are reported having very high influencing categories while social influence group having high influencing ategory. It was also found that AI technologies are very frequently used technologies by the UAE citizens. Based on the study, it is deduced that service quality is a basic consideration as reported by the UAE personnel for adoption of any technology.

The role of social activity in the urban space management

Introduction. The study relevance is concerned with the complexity of urban space management issues, including a number of aspects: social, economic, urban planning proper, etc. The subject of analysis in this article is the role of social activity in managing the urban space. The purpose of the study is to identify the place and functions of the social activity within the framework of the efficient management of urban processes. The objectives of the study include: determining the parameters of the urban spatial characteristics, in terms of subject differences of various disciplines; analyzing approaches to managing the urban space; clarifying the role of the social activity in this management. Materials and methods. The study is based on an integrated approach that enables to consider the complex phenomenon of the urban space from different perspectives and, in relation to this complexity, determine the social aspects of urban space management. Results. Exploring the urban cultural space often involves interdisciplinarity. Urban space organization records the history of the city, its needs, and strategic development. A unique image of the city, formed by the relation between its streets, squares, embankments, its architecture. A significant contribution to the study of urban space was made by representatives of the urban sociology, within which the issues of urban development were associated with social transformations. The analysis of these transformations has started the urban sociology. Conclusions. Ways of developing urban spaces are set by the production practice and social relations, the complex social system and influence of social groups, the authority and corporate role. Not only establishing the theoretical and methodological basis for developing the urban space is necessary, but also educing their potential to consider the public opinion when determining the urban development and improvement.

Online-Network-Group Use and Political-Participation Intention in China: The Analysis Based on CSS 2019 Survey Data

Although there are many studies discussing the effect of Internet use on political participation, the literature has rarely focused on the relationship between the use of online-network groups and the political-participation intention in contemporary China. The discussion of this relationship is significant, as it offers a new perspective on reviewing the mobilization theory of media, especially in the context of online-network groups, and potentially provides a new channel for mobilizing a wider range of people for politics once the relationship is significant. This study aims to answer the following question: Can we predict the political-participation intention of Chinese citizens through the use of online-network groups? Based on the data of the China Social Survey 2019, this study uses the hierarchical logistic-regression method. The research finds that the specific online-network groups that can predict political-participation intention are mainly concentrated in the category of emotional relationships. Among them, although most of the online-network groups are positively correlated with political-participation intention, the possibility of generating political-participation intention of those who join the relative network group is significantly lower than for those who do not. The virtual connection built by online communication technology, the social relations, and the influence of social groups on individuals can help to explain the correlation between them.

Social Influence of E-cigarette Use among Asian Americans in California

Objectives: The use of e-cigarettes is on the rise in the United States (US). An understudied facet of e-cigarette use is the influence of social groups. The purpose of the present article is to examine the role of social groups in the use of e-cigarettes among Asian Americans. Methods: We conducted 12 semi-structured interviews of Asian Americans who use e-cigarettes living in California. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Findings showed that e-cigarette use is normalized and encouraged among peer groups and social gatherings, anecdotal success stories of their peers who were able to quit or reduce their use of combustible cigarettes using e-cigarettes were motivating, and vape shops provided a space for socialization and belonging. Conclusions: The findings illuminate that e-cigarette use is a mediator in Asian American social groups as an activity for collectivity and connection. Public health researchers and practitioners can address nicotine use or addiction among Asian Americans through group or peer targeted prevention and intervention strategies.

Inferring social influence in animal groups across multiple timescales.

Many animal behaviours exhibit complex temporal dynamics, suggesting there are multiple timescales at which they should be studied. However, researchers often focus on behaviours that occur over relatively restricted temporal scales, typically ones that are more accessible to human observation. The situation becomes even more complex when considering multiple animals interacting, where behavioural coupling can introduce new timescales of importance. Here, we present a technique to study the time-varying nature of social influence in mobile animal groups across multiple temporal scales. As case studies, we analyse golden shiner fish and homing pigeons, which move in different media. By analysing pairwise interactions among individuals, we show that predictive power of the factors affecting social influence depends on the timescale of analysis. Over short timescales the relative position of a neighbour best predicts its influence and the distribution of influence across group members is relatively linear, with a small slope. At longer timescales, however, both relative position and kinematics are found to predict influence, and nonlinearity in the influence distribution increases, with a small number of individuals being disproportionately influential. Our results demonstrate that different interpretations of social influence arise from analysing behaviour at different timescales, highlighting the importance of considering its multiscale nature. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Collective behaviour through time'.

The role of social group influences when intending to purchase premium alcohol

This study investigates the effect that social group influences have on the purchase intention of premium alcohol by adapting the theory of planned behaviour. The moderating effect of the need to save face and conform to a social group’s expectations on the purchase intention of premium alcohol is explored. Data was collected using questionnaires, with 251 responses analysed using the PLS-SEM. The results show that attitude and subjective norms have a positive and significant impact on the purchase intention of premium alcohol, while perceived behavioural control does not. Brand consciousness and status consumption were found to have an impact on attitude and subjective norms respectively, with status consumption revealing the strongest relationship. This study offers insight to both researchers by understanding the impact of social influences and to premium alcohol brands that would be able to further enhance their marketing strategies and resonate with consumers in a highly competitive environment.

Influence of social anxiety speech and groups on mental and behavioral problems in parties and experienced people with selective mutism and people in the control group

Influence of social anxiety speech and groups on mental and behavioral problems in parties and experienced people with selective mutism and people in the control group