Social Presence Research Articles

Exploring the digital footprint: Social media use among hematology oncology fellowship programs in the U.S.

9048 Background: Social media platforms have emerged as pivotal tools for communication, outreach, and engagement. This study aims to assess the adoption and utilization of social media among Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited Hematology Oncology (HO) fellowship programs, examining the correlation between program characteristics and social media presence. Methods: A comprehensive review was conducted of all ACGME-accredited HO fellowship programs to identify their presence on popular social media platforms, Twitter/X and Instagram. Collected metrics included the presence of official accounts, the date of creation, and follower counts as of February 2023. Additional details such as university affiliation, program size, and geographic location were also gathered to understand their influence on social media usage. Results: Out of 183 programs, 54 programs (29.5%) were found to be using Twitter, while 21 programs (11.5%) had an Instagram presence. Of these, 9 programs (4.9%) had a dual presence. Regional analysis revealed that the East North Central region had the highest Twitter/X presence, with 14 programs (25.9%), while on Instagram, the Pacific region led with 5 programs (23.8%). A significant association was observed between program type (university vs. community) and Twitter/X use. Programs with a higher number of fellowship positions (four or more) were more likely to use social media. In the period post-2021, approximately 20 programs adopted Twitter, and 15 began using Instagram. Descriptive statistics, including median values and interquartile ranges for posts, followers, and accounts followed, along with verification percentages, are detailed in the accompanying table. Conclusions: The use of social media within HO fellowship programs is a strategic tool for increasing program visibility and engaging with the next generation of medical professionals. The findings highlight a predominant use of social media in larger, possibly more resource-endowed programs, and suggest that these platforms may be an effective medium for recruitment in a digital age. This study emphasizes the significance of social media in the contemporary recruitment landscape and lays the groundwork for future research on its impact on program attractiveness and applicant selection processes in the medical field. [Table: see text]

Social commerce in the social media age: understanding how interactive commerce enhancements navigate app continuance intention

PurposeBy integrating the Uses and Gratifications Theory and Flow Theory, this research seeks to untwine the veiled effects of interactive commerce enhancements (ICEs), specifically haptic imagery and social presence, in promoting user immersion and sustaining social commerce (SC) users' usage intention, considering the moderating role of autotelic personality.Design/methodology/approachThe research utilized purposive sampling of Malaysian SC app users with recent transactions. A dual-source data collection approach, encompassing offline and online channels, was employed to ensure a broad and diverse respondent pool. Partial least squares–structural equation modeling was chosen for its adeptness in analyzing complex relationships in predictive studies.FindingsThe findings revealed the significant positive effects of haptic imagery and social presence on user immersion and continuance intention within SC apps. Social presence and immersion were found to mediate the proposed paths. Additionally, autotelic personality traits were identified as moderators, influencing the strength of these relationships.Originality/valueThis research makes a unique contribution by addressing critical gaps in SC environments, extending the concept of ICEs, understanding the impacts of underlying mediators and pioneering the examination of autotelic personality traits' moderating effects. It introduces a fresh perspective on how individual differences impact user engagement. This groundbreaking study benefits social media and interactive marketing literature by comprehensively understanding how ICEs elevate SC, fostering innovation and heightened engagement.

The Critical Robot: Impact of Performance Feedback on Intrinsic Motivation, Self-Esteem and Psychophysiology in Human–Robot Interaction

Social, anthropomorphic robots are increasingly used in professional work environments to collaborate with humans. However, little is known about how these robots affect human workers in performance-critical aspects, such as feedback. The present study investigates differences between the effects of a robot and a human feedback giver on self-esteem, intrinsic motivation, and psychophysiological reactions. Using a mixed model design for subjective data and a between-subject design for psychophysiological data, we tested 72 participants who performed a cognitive task on working memory, namely the 3-back task. The results indicate that people are more motivated to perform the task when receiving feedback from a robot, but their electrodermal activity and heart rate are higher after receiving positive feedback from a human. There is no difference in electrodermal activity following negative feedback from a human or a robot. Additional analyses show that individuals report feeling less comfortable and perceiving less social warmth when receiving feedback from a robot compared to a human. Furthermore, individuals exhibit higher skin conductance responses when perceiving greater social warmth in their interactions, regardless of whether their interaction partner is a human or a robot. The results suggest that social robots may serve as surrogates for social interaction. However, they seem to have less social presence, which leads to reduced psychophysiological reactions. This knowledge may be used to calibrate arousal in feedback situations.

Unlocking in-depth forum discussion and perceived effectiveness: Teaching and social presence categories in online teacher communities

Online teacher communities constitute pivotal professional development contexts. Yet, there is no conclusive evidence on how best to conduct in-depth forum discussion for meaningful learning outcomes. This study combines qualitative comparative analysis of communities' forum transcripts to specify the teaching and social presence categories that promote in-depth forum discussion with teachers’ questionnaires for perceived effectiveness. Findings identify a successful online coordination and participation framework: teaching presence characterized by strong direct instruction combined with social presence exhibiting high levels of affective and cohesive discourse. This framework provides actionable insights for online professional learning communities with implications for educational research and practice.

Effects of implied social presence and interaction on attention in a virtual setting

ABSTRACT Social interactions are crucial to successfully navigate daily life, and the presence of others can influence attention. With increases in online interactions, we investigated whether implied social presence (e.g., visual depiction of a fictitious player) and implied social interactions (e.g., instructing participants to cooperate or compete) affects attention in virtual settings. Participants completed a visual search task and were either told they were completing the task alone (controls) or they were cooperating/competing with another. Competition instructions led to faster but less accurate responses than cooperation instructions, however changing visual depictions did not affect performance. Compared to control conditions, participants prioritized accuracy during cooperation and speed during competition. Solo search for points led to significantly faster but less accurate performance compared to no points. Our findings suggest that there may be a low threshold to imply social presence, yet our beliefs regarding social interactions plays a role in affecting our attention.

Investigating Students’ Perception with an Online Dynamic Earth Course during COVID-19: A Quantitative Inquiry

This study investigated Earth science students’ experiences with online education during the COVID-19 pandemic at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in the US. We used an existing survey from the online education literature, the Online Learning Environment Survey (OLES), which consists of three instruments: (a) community of inquiry (CoI), (b) Institutional Support (IS), and (c) Self-Directed Online Learning Scale (SDOLS). The survey rating subscales ordered from highest to lowest are autonomous learning, asynchronous online learning, institutional support, teaching presence, social presence, and cognitive presence, respectively, indicating interest for the online learning environment. Among all of the subscales, the asynchronous online category was rated the highest by the students. The data were then analyzed using Rasch modeling. According to the Rasch analyses, asynchronous online teaching represents the most favorable course delivery technique for geoscience education. Overall, the survey data show a general interest in online delivery and the effectiveness of the modality, thus indicating potential for evolving into an online Earth science program. Finally, also discussed are possible future extensions of the research (e.g., extending the research to other introductory online geoscience courses).

The adverse effects of vaping in young people

Vapes or e-cigarettes are battery operated devices that heat a liquid until it becomes a vapour, which is inhaled. Typically, e-liquids contain nicotine, different flavourings, and propylene glycol. Vaping devices are either disposable vapes or rechargeable. Vapes were initially developed as stop smoking aid but they have now become a recreational product popular among teenagers.Vaping has increased at an alarming rate among teenagers and young adults in Ireland. The European Schools Project for Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) survey 2019 showed that almost 4 in 10 Irish 16-year-olds had tried vaping and 15 % currently use them. More worrying is the dramatic rise in the use of disposable vapes in recent years. An Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) UK survey data revealed a 9-fold increase from 2021 to 2023 in their use (7.7 % to 69 %) among 11–17-year-old vapers.A combination of clever marketing by vaping companies, a strong social media presence, attractive flavours and easy accessibility has contributed to the increasing use of vapes by young people.Exposure of children and adolescents to nicotine in vaping solutions can lead to long-term negative impacts on brain development, as well as addiction. Many teenagers who vape experience poor concentration, anxiety, mood disorders and sleep disturbance. A paper from NEJM in 2022 reported a case series where chronic vaping resulted in small airway fibrosis of the airways. A systematic review conducted in 2021 concluded that teenager vapers were three to five times more likely to take up tobacco smoking when compared with non-vapers.Strong legislation is required to ban the sale of disposable vapes to teenagers along with controls on marketing online. Healthcare Professionals should ask and counsel their patients about vaping. Increased public awareness and education for Health care professionals on teenage vaping needs to be addressed.Vaping has become a global public health issue that must be addressed urgently.

Prevalence and Factors Associated With Willingness to Sustain Pandemic-Induced Digital Work in the General Population and Moderating Effects of Screen Hours: Cross-Sectional Study.

The pandemic has accelerated digital work transformation, yet little is known about individuals' willingness to sustain such digital modes and its associated factors. A better understanding of this willingness and its drivers is crucial for guiding the development of future digital work infrastructure, training programs, and strategies to monitor and prevent related health issues. This study aims to quantify the general population's willingness to sustain pandemic-induced digital work, identify its associated factors, and examine how screen time moderates these relationships. A cross-sectional study was conducted targeting Hong Kong residents aged ≥18 years who have increased engagement in digital work since the pandemic. Data were collected through self-reported, web-based surveys. Descriptive statistics determined prevalence rates, while structured multiphase logistic regression identified associated factors and explored the moderating effects of screen hour levels. This unfunded study enrolled 1014 participants from May 2 to June 24, 2022, and completed data analysis within 3 months after data collection. A total of 391 (38.6%; 95% CI 35.6%-41.6%) participants expressed willingness to sustain digital work. Positive factors associated with this willingness included being an employee (odds ratio [OR] 3.12, 95% CI 1.59-6.45; P=.001), being health professionals (OR 3.32, 95% CI 1.49-7.82; P=.004), longer screen hours (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.03-1.15; P=.002), and higher depression levels (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.01-1.44; P=.04). Conversely, negatively associated factors included older age (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.81-0.94; P=.001), extroversion (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.51-0.86; P=.002), higher eHealth literacy (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.93-0.98; P<.001), perceived greater susceptibility to COVID-19 (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.74-0.96; P=.009), residence in a high-severity COVID-19 community (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.63-0.84; P<.001), having infected individuals in the immediate social circle (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.46-0.88; P=.006), higher BMI (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.90-0.99; P=.02), feelings of being out of control (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.93-0.98; P=.002), and higher fear of COVID-19 (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.94-0.98; P=.001). In addition, a moderating effect of screen hour level (high: >8 h/d; low: ≤8 h/d) influenced the association among 10 factors related to willingness to sustain pandemic-induced digital work, including age, education level, household size, needs for regular medical care, BMI, frequency of both vigorous and moderate physical activities, perceived COVID-19 severity, immediate social circle COVID-19 presence, and fear of COVID-19 (all P values for interaction <.05). The substantial willingness of the general population to sustain digital work after the pandemic highlights the need for robust telework infrastructure, thorough monitoring of adverse health outcomes, and the potential to expand telehealth services among this group. The identification of factors influencing this willingness and the moderating role of screen hours inform the development of personalized strategies to enhance digital work acceptance where needed.

Exploring the relationships between learners’ social and cognitive presence patterns and peer support in digital social reading

Exploring the relationships between learners’ social and cognitive presence patterns and peer support in digital social reading

Different roles of two kinds of digital coexistence: The impact of social presence on consumers' purchase intention in the live streaming shopping context

The social aspects of social commerce have not been considered in its entirety, particularly for the burgeoning live streaming shopping. Based on nationally representative data (n = 7701) collected via Douyin, a leading live streaming e-commerce platform in China, the study adopts PLS-SEM to test how social presence of the streamer (SSP) and that of other viewers (VSP) affect consumers' purchase intention (PI). A comprehensive framework integrating SSP, VSP, loneliness (LN), and consumer experience (CE) is proposed to understand consumers' PI in the context of live streaming shopping. It is found that SSP, VSP as well as CE, have direct positive effects on consumers' PI. Different roles played by social presence of two social actors are identified. Specifically, SSP exhibits a more pronounced impact on both CE and consumers' PI compared to VSP. Notably, contrary to the role of SSP in alleviating consumers' LN, VSP is found to significantly intensify consumers' LN, which implies that digital coexistence of other viewers in the live streaming shopping context may not provide consumers with a positive sense of companionship. LN affects consumers' PI via a complete mediation effect of CE, underscoring the vital role of CE in shaping consumers' PI in the live streaming shopping context, which also implies potentially distinct internal processes between current context of concern and traditional offline contexts. Moderating effect analyses reveal that LN negatively moderates the total effects of SSP on both CE and PI, indicating LN may function as an inherent self-protective element during social interactions between consumers and the streamer in the live streaming shopping context. Managerial implications, limitations and suggestions for future research are also discussed at the conclusion of the paper.

Financial technology, social media influencers, and experience of cryptocurrency investment decisions: Financial literacy’s role

This study evaluates the impact of financial technology usage, social media influencer presence, and investment experience on cryptocurrency investment decisions, considering financial literacy as a moderating factor. Financial technology refers to using technology in financial systems to create new service products, technologies, and business models. Social media influencers have gained fame and exert significant influence over their followers on social media platforms. Meanwhile, investment experience encompasses the duration of an investor's experience in trading transactions. Data for the study were obtained through a Google Form questionnaire distributed via social media to cryptocurrency investors aged 20 to 30 in the Jabodetabek area. Convenience sampling technique was employed to obtain a sample of 192 respondents. Data analysis was conducted using the SEM-PLS method with SmartPLS software. The results indicate that using financial technology and social media influencers positively influences cryptocurrency investment decisions, while investment experience does not significantly impact. However, financial literacy does not strengthen the influence of financial technology usage, social media influencers, and investment experience on cryptocurrency investment decisions. The research findings indicate that enhancing financial literacy among young investors should be prioritized. This can be achieved through formal education programs and financial literacy campaigns. Practitioners in the financial industry also need to provide financial education to their clients and offer educational content on cryptocurrency. These measures can help mitigate uncontrolled investment risks and promote informed investment decisions, thereby contributing to the stability of the financial market and the financial protection of the wider community.

Disentangling the mechanism of student engagement in online language classrooms from the perspective of Community of Inquiry

Previous studies have revealed that students' participation is a complex matter affected by pedagogical, environmental, and individual factors. However, there is still insufficient empirical evidence regarding how those factors work in shaping classroom participation in the online context. In the field of language education, moreover, it still remains unclear as to how social interactions among students and teachers may affect students' cognitive engagement. To further understand the complex relations between language students' online engagement and the influencing factors, the current study conducted in-depth interviews with 24 university students enrolled in three online English courses in an International university in China. Analyses and interpretation of the qualitative data were informed by the Community of Inquiry framework. The findings suggest that students' engagement in online classrooms is a situated process affected by 1) pedagogical practices and support from teachers, which determines students' cognitive presence and perceived teaching presence directly, and 2) students' perceived social presence, which was shaped by both group dynamics and the online environment. Notably, the physically isolated online environment seemed to have played an impeding role in some students' cognitive engagement, but a facilitating a role in some others’, as mediated by their preference for social presence or absence. Overall, our study highlights the importance of providing students with a constructive, supportive and interactive environment for online language teaching and learning.

Inflated positivity: The influence of the two-way review system on consumer ratings in the sharing economy

Due to a positivity bias, the accuracy of online reviews on accommodation-sharing platforms has been called into question. Utilizing social presence theory and two experimental studies, we found that the two-way (vs. one-way) review system, owing to social and observational cues associated with both the sharing platform and the review system, results in a higher guest review rating for a negative experience. Additionally, through a moderated mediation, we found that this effect is contingent on the social presence dynamic of the service provider, with the effect of the two-way review system being negated for a property management company. Finally, we show that this relationship is driven by impression management. The findings of this research present novel insights into the two-way review system, providing both theoretical and practical implications for peer-to-peer platforms and traditional hospitality brands with regard to review system management.

The role of teachers’ social support in students’ emotional and cognitive presences in online learning

This study explores the role of teachers’ social support in students’ emotional and cognitive presences in online learning. Two-hundred and seventy-one Chinese university students were surveyed with an online questionnaire on their perceived social support, emotional presence, and cognitive presence. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyze the role of teachers’ social support in students’ emotional and cognitive presences. Results demonstrate that the two indicators of teachers’ social support (i.e., emotional support and reflective support) accounted for 59.2% of students’ emotional presence and 78.2% of cognitive presence. Specifically, reflective support demonstrated significant positive correlations with emotional and cognitive presences. Teachers’ emotional support demonstrated a positive correlation with emotional presence. Additionally, emotional presence had significantly positive correlations with cognitive presence. Results indicate that reflective and emotional support play essential roles in students’ online learning.

Effect of partner presence on emotion regulation during parent-child interactions.

Having people around, especially if they provide social support, often leads to positive outcomes both physically and mentally. Mere social presence is especially beneficial when it comes from a loved one or romantic partner. In these studies, we aim to expand the understanding of how the presence of one's romantic partner affects emotion regulation in parental situations. Specifically, we examined how partner presence influences the parent's emotional intensity, emotion regulation, and interpretation of their child's emotion regulation. We examined these questions in parents of both non-autistic children (Study 1) as well as autistic children (Study 2), which we hypothesize leads to more intense emotional interactions. The parents of autistic children were better able to regulate their emotions when their partners were present compared to when they were absent. Furthermore, in both studies, parents' ratings of their children's ability to regulate their emotions were higher when their parent's partner was present compared to when the partner was absent. However, in both studies, we found no significant difference in the parents' emotional intensity when their partners were present compared to when their partners were absent during the emotionally charged interaction with their child. Our findings help highlight the impact of partner presence on parent and child emotion regulation.

‘Commensal scenes’: Problematizing presence in restaurants in the digital age

As guests’ norms and behaviours are rapidly evolving in the digital world, explicitly problematizing commensality, a term designating the social aspects of eating with others, is needed in hospitality contexts. This article introduces the "commensal scene" concept, applying Social presence theory to redefine commensality in dining settings amidst digital-age transformations. Challenging traditional views of physical co-presence, it explores the multi-spatial, multi-levelled dynamics of being 'with others' in both physical and digital contexts. The model allows for a deeper understanding of how digital media reshapes presence beyond mere spatial factors. It highlights the evolving nature of guest behaviours and norms, focusing on the interplay between different communication mediums and responsive social spaces. This innovative approach offers new insights into emerging commensal practices, proposing a framework for designing relevant dining experiences in a digitally-influenced world.

Game-Changer NPCs: Leveling-Up Technology Acceptance and Flow in a Digital Learning Quest

Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) combines gamification with educational content to create engaging learning experiences tailored to today’s learners. Non-Playable Characters (NPCs), integral to many video games, are computer-generated characters controlled by game algorithms rather than players. Despite their prominence in gaming, research on NPCs’ impact on learners’ perceptions, experiences, and acceptance of DGBL environments remains scarce. This study presents a framework that investigates the impact of non-player characters’ (NPCs) attributes, including social presence, telepresence, social support, and storytelling, on factors related to technology acceptance, such as perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, as well as on the flow state and the intention to continue using a digital game-based learning (DGBL) environment. An experiment was conducted where learners were administered a survey after interacting with NPCs, simulating peers, professors, or industry experts teaching Fintech topics within a DGBL environment. Analysis of 200 valid responses using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling revealed that NPCs’ attributes significantly enhance perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and flow state in the DGBL environment. Furthermore, the findings indicate that perceived ease of use and the flow state positively affect learners’ intentions to continue using the DGBL environment. Thematic analysis per participant feedback highlighted the value of DGBL as an innovative educational approach that makes learning about Fintech accessible and engaging. These results are interpreted through the Technology Acceptance Model, flow theory, presence theory, and gamified learning model, offering insights into how NPCs can be effectively designed to enrich the DGBL learning experience and foster technology adoption.

Qualitative research in the metaverse, a primer

New technology can be a source of great optimism and a force for positive change in the research industry. As such, it is important to discuss the merits of emerging technology. In this research note, the emergent opportunity for qualitative research in the metaverse is discussed. This paper looks at how rich sensory virtual environments with multiple sensory modalities might help address some of the shortcomings of traditional online qualitative research. The importance of establishing social presence in virtual qualitative research is addressed. Then, how the metaverse might help remove some of the constraints of ‘big qual’ is debated. The potential for the metaverse to improve participant inclusivity is considered, before finally discussing the issue of research ethics in a decentralised virtual world.

The role of social media for entrepreneurs to drive financial and sustainability goals: a literature review

Entrepreneurs are key drivers for economic development and social change based on the United Nations Sustainability Goals (SDGs). However, entrepreneurs often operate with limited resources and face a high failure rate. Social media platforms give entrepreneurs direct access to stakeholders globally to build a corporate reputation and raise visibility for their business and cause. As entrepreneurs can engage more freely on social media compared to risk-averse leaders of large publicly owned corporations, this offers an opportunity for entrepreneurs to compete with larger organizations and drive change on a global scale. With more entrepreneurs incorporating sustainability as part of their business model, the purpose of this paper is to analyze and discuss how entrepreneurs use social media to drive their company’s financial and sustainability goals. The methodology is a literature review of studies in entrepreneurial marketing, global leadership, and digital brand building to serve as a foundation for future studies. The focus is on micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs). Literature review findings suggested that a founder-led social media presence can be a competitive advantage for entrepreneurs to build corporate reputation and gain support for sustainable development goals. In addition, entrepreneurs use social media to start and finance their business. However, entrepreneurs are facing an increasingly fragmented social media landscape which makes it more challenging to select the best channels to engage stakeholders across different regions. More research is needed on emerging social media channels in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East, and South America.

The Influence of Online Social and Physical Presence on User Consumption Decisions in TikTok Livestreaming: A Scoping Review.

This scoping review aimed to clarify and redefine the concepts of social and physical presence in the context of online livestreaming environments. Physical presence involves technical elements and nonhuman-to-human interaction, factors that inevitably influence social presence, which has human-to-human interactions at its core. Considering one type of presence to the exclusion of the other may not provide sufficiently informed decisions for user consumption. However, most previous studies have only studied either physical or social presence factors; few have systematically examined both to explain their influence. This review examined how the factors under these two presence influenced users' consumption decision-making process in TikTok live-stream retail purchases by synthesizing 60 studies conducted from 2019 to 2023 using Arksey and O'Malley's 5-step framework. Evidence of the specific attributes by which presence affects users' consumption decisions was elicited and reorganized. Using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) framework for scoping review and guided by the joanna briggs institute (JBI) methodological guidelines, the results reveal that out of the 60 studies, 36 were influenced by social presence and 24 by physical presence. When livestreaming online, social presence tends to include the user and anchor perspectives, which prompts users to make consumption decisions. However, online physical presence includes products, technology, and scenes as its main dimensions, and users make consumption decisions through perceptual control. This review clarifies new media livestreaming communication and the key factors influencing users' consumption decision-making systems. It also suggests that integrating online social and physical presence in future research will yield a better understanding of livestreaming purchase decisions.