Social Presence Research Articles

Users' willingness to adopt metaverse drawing on flow theory: An empirical study using PLS-SEM and FsQCA

As a rapidly developing information technology in recent years, the metaverse has significantly transformed how we live, learn, and work. In order to accelerate the use of metaverse technology and promote users' acceptance of the metaverse, this study constructs an integrated model based on flow theory and use and satisfaction theory, to further explore the factors affecting users' acceptance of the metaverse. A total of 265 valid questionnaires were obtained through a situational questionnaire survey. Considering the limitations of a single analysis technique, we use two methods to analyze the data. Among them, the symmetric PLS-SEM method is mainly used to analyze the effects of single variables, while the asymmetric fsQCA method is used to analyze the combined effects of variables. The PLS-SEM results manifest that flow experience, perceived risk, and personal innovation directly influence users' acceptance of the metaverse, while perceived cost has no effect. Simultaneously, interactivity, presence, and social presence indirectly affect users' acceptance of the metaverse, while informativeness and enjoyment have no indirect effect. Significantly, fsQCA unveiled five configurations resulting in a high user acceptance of the metaverse, as well as six configurations leading to a negative acceptance. The complementary findings from PLS-SEM and fsQCA offer valuable insights for both theoretical understanding and practical implementation.

A Case Study: How Social Media Advertisement Influences Consumer Behavior Toward a Fast-Food Restaurant

Social media has become an increasingly important platform for shaping consumer behavior toward brands. Subsequently, social media is widely utilized and favored in most nations. This study examines the role of social media advertisement in shaping consumer behavior toward McDonald's. A mixed-methods approach was used, consisting of a survey of social media users and an analysis of McDonald's social media presence. The study found a mixed customer response to social media advertising. While a significant portion of respondents expressed initial interest in exploring products or services further after encountering them on social media, the research also identified a segment of customers who were less likely to be swayed by such marketing. The study also highlighted the influence of social media advertising on consumer behavior, particularly purchase decisions (beta = 0.340). However, the effectiveness of these ads likely depends on individual consumer interests and motivations. McDonald's should consider this when tailoring their social media advertising strategies

Factors Influencing Willingness to Continue Using Online Sports Videos: Expansion Based on ECT and TPB Theoretical Models.

Digital sports, also known as online sports, are a new form of sport that users have tried in recent years. Despite the rapid growth of online sports, the factors influencing users' willingness to sustain their use are currently unknown. Based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and expectation-confirmation theory (ECT), this study empirically investigates the factors influencing the persistent use of online sports videos. Questionnaires were administered to participants. A total of 305 participants completed the questionnaire. Structural equation modeling showed that all hypotheses' paths were significant, except for H11 and H12. The results indicated that perceived usefulness, expectation confirmation, and coach social presence had a significant positive effect on users' satisfaction in using online sports videos. Moreover, satisfaction, behavioral attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control had a significant positive effect on users' willingness to consistently use online sports videos, with gender moderating the impact of satisfaction and behavioral attitudes on the willingness to consistently use. We discuss the practical implications and recommendations for applying this study's findings.

Beyond User Decline: Investigating the Effects of Social Presence and the Dual Role of Social Connectedness in Sustaining Engagement on Social Networking Platforms

Social media platforms are currently grappling with unforeseen difficulties that have hindered their expansion. Previous studies have disclosed that Facebook, one of the most prominent social media sites, has encountered a reduction in its user base. Similarly, other social media platforms have also reported a substantial decline in user numbers and engagement levels, indicating a significant downturn in their popularity. The primary objective of this research is to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the role played by the social presence in human-computer-mediated interactions, specifically in the context of social media. Data from 473 college students from their second to tenth semesters were collected through an online survey. Amos 25 was utilized to test the constructs of the variables of social presence, social connectedness, attitude, and intention to continue using social media. The Hayes Macro Process version 3.5 was used to test the proposed model. The results showed that social connectedness (Con) moderates the effect of social presence and attitude on user intention to continue using social networks. This result extends the body of research on human-computer-mediated interactions by uncovering the role of connectedness in human-computer-mediated interactions and technology adoption.

Exploring the Influence of Sports on Student-Athletes’ Competitive Mindsets during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Sports aim to enhance an individual’s formation through organized physical and mental involvement. As sports participation promotes teamwork and dedication, athletes develop sportsmanship, mindfulness, and mental toughness, which brings out their confidence. While the COVID-19 pandemic has caused distress and tested the resilience of people, the effects of the situation on student-athlete mindset and competitiveness remain unresolved. With Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory as its foreshadowing theory, this qualitative study focused on the experiences of 10 high school to collegiate student-athletes from a private university in Manila who were asked about their mindsets during the COVID-19 pandemic. After analyzing the data from the transcribed interviews through thematic analysis and the use of the Tracy Coding Matrix, findings revealed the effects of Bandura’s sources of self-efficacy expectations that influenced the student-athletes’ will to win, particularly performance accomplishments, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion, and emotional arousal. The researchers found that sports affect student-athletes’ competitive mindsets by developing their traits, such as self-confidence, motivation, self-assurance, self-reformation, and wellness. Although sports participation also caused feelings of insecurity and pressure among the participants, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, student-athletes were able to adapt, particularly through being supported by their environment. With this, some of the findings suggest that a social circle's presence may ignite student-athletes' drive for victory but may also demotivate them. Finally, the findings of the study may be used to understand student-athlete behavior and strategies such as positive reinforcement and goal-setting may be used to improve their mentalities.

How gaming team participation fosters consumers’ social networks, communication and commitment

Online games are highly popular computer applications that generate enormous profits for companies that produce games. Online players actively participate and interact in gaming teams, but there is no study on how team participation leads to a commitment to gaming teams. Research that aims to fill this gap could elucidate practical solutions to strengthening the players' team commitment, contributing to the understanding of player behavior. Grounded in social capital theory and social exchange theory, in this paper a research model is developed, featuring an association between players' participation and players' team commitment. The data were gathered from 1352 online players, and structural equation modelling was employed as the data analysis technique. The results indicate that team participation is positively linked to network convergence and interdependence. They are, in turn, positively linked to social interaction and social presence, which significantly enhance the players' team commitment. We also find that, compared with social interaction, social presence has a stronger influence on such commitments. The research findings suggest that the game providers should encourage players to participate in gaming teams, thus strengthening the players’ team commitment.

Me versus we: How group detachment and social presence shape integration strategies in short-term technology-mediated groups

The adoption of ICTs for facilitating interactions can create barriers for those who identify as outsiders in technology-mediated groups. We use an experiment to investigate how outsiders pursue social integration strategies, including group assimilation and resistance, to empower themselves in short-term technology-mediated groups. We find the effectiveness of detached group members depends on the social integration strategies they employ and the social presence offered by the communication technologies they use. Our findings demonstrate that group members who are already feeling detached from others can become even more detached — indeed marginalized — when their group shifts to technology-mediated communications. They can improve their personal effectiveness by altering their social integration strategies and the technology being used to facilitate communication. This study has important theoretical and practical implications for outsiders’ social inclusion and effectiveness in short-term technology-mediated groups.

Navigating the Cyborg Classroom: Telepresence Robots, Accessibility Challenges, and Inclusivity in the Classroom

Telepresence robots, designed to bridge physical distances, have unique capabilities and inherent limitations when deployed in classroom environments. This study examines these aspects, focusing on how telepresence robots facilitate or hinder classroom accessibility and inclusivity. Based on field study results from participatory observations, surveys and interviews with 22 participants, we present and catalogue the operational capabilities of telepresence robots, such as mobility and interaction potential, alongside their limitations in areas like sensory perception and social presence. Our findings reveal a nuanced landscape where telepresence robots act as both enablers and barriers in the classroom. This duality raises the question of whether these robots can be considered “disabled” in certain contexts and how this perceived disability impacts remote students’ inclusion in classroom dynamics. Finally, we present use recommendations to improve classroom experience and telepresence design.

Course Design, Belonging, and Learner Engagement: Meeting the Needs of Diverse International Students in Online Courses

International students comprise a growing population in U.S. higher education institutions, including online courses. Online international students’ experiences and needs have been largely understudied, but their increased presence in online courses offers a rich opportunity to understand better and improve their course experiences. This qualitative study draws upon interviews with international and domestic online learners to illuminate the importance of inclusivity and how it can be improved through course design and facilitation. To address our research questions, we interviewed 27 graduate students at a large public research university in the United States. The sample included 17 international and 10 domestic students. The findings show opportunities for enhancing the online learning experience for international learners through culturally attuned teaching, supporting both social and cognitive presences along with clear course expectations, and encouraging instructor’s responsiveness and peer engagement. This study concludes with four major implications for online instructors.

The Difference a Three-Minute Video Makes: Presence(s), Satisfaction, and Instructor-Confidence in Post-Pandemic Online Teacher Education

Some research has shown that using videos in online courses can promote learner’s connection to the instructor (Banerjee et al., 2020). This quasi-experimental self-study aimed to explore the impact of brief three-minute instructor-generated videos in twin segments of an online graduate teacher education seminar focused on Globalization, Communities, and Schools. Specifically, we sought to understand the extent to which the insertion of these videos influenced teacher candidates’ perceptions of the dynamics of a Community of Inquiry (CoI) and their overall satisfaction as learners. The quantitative analysis of survey data using T-tests showed no statistically significant difference in overall learner satisfaction, social presence, teaching presence, or instructor social presence between the course with and without videos. However, there were significant differences in several individual items within each survey instrument. Student interviews and course evaluation comments were examined for themes revealing the strong presence of the instructor in various ways such as personalized feedback and caring tone. These findings suggest that while the videos may not have a significant impact on overall satisfaction, they do contribute to a more personalized and caring learning environment. Follow-up discussions with the instructor also revealed the reluctance to include short videos was grounded in his fear of inadvertently compromising the accessibility standards he wanted to honor–suggesting a continued need for growth in online instructors’ digital competencies and additional research into the perceived obstacles of expanding modalities of online graduate teacher education.

Integrated Model to Enhance Quality Contributions in Q&A Forums

ABSTRACT Q&A forums are self-governing, prosocial platforms that rely on the quality of members’ contributions, which is decided by the person who poses the question. Drawing on the theories of relational bonds and social presence, we propose a research model that links people’s social presence and interpersonal relationships to their ability to provide quality contributions in Q&A forums. We test the impact of the two social bonds—internal and external—as well as the structural bonds in a Q&A forum. There are significant theoretical and practical ramifications to this study. For theory, the study explores the various potentials of social relationships in Q&A forums and extends the relational bonds theory. Additionally, social presence is included in the suggested paradigm, emphasizing both its enhancing and restricting aspects. For practice, managers should promote external bonding by offering more features that facilitate connectivity to other platforms, but they should dissuade excessive external bonding.

Humanizing e-tail experiences: navigating user acceptance, social presence, and trust in the realm of conversational AI agents

Humanizing e-tail experiences: navigating user acceptance, social presence, and trust in the realm of conversational AI agents

The AI humanness: how perceived personality builds trust and continuous usage intention

PurposeThe growing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) assistants and voice assistants provides a platform for AI to enter consumers’ everyday lives. As these voice assistants become ubiquitous, their widespread adoption underscores the need to understand how to create voice assistants that can naturally interact with and support users. Grounded in the stereotype content model from social psychology, this study aims to investigate the influence of perceived humanness and personality on building trust and continuous usage intentions in voice assistants. Specifically, a fresh perspective examining the determining factors that shape personality trait perceptions of competence and warmth in voice assistants is proposed.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey of 457 participants and structural equation modeling is conducted to validate the research model.FindingsAnthropomorphism, social presence and interactivity drive perceived warmth, whereas performance and effort expectations drive perceived competence. Perceived competence and perceived warmth together positively affect users’ trust in voice assistants, leading to a higher likelihood of continuous usage intentions.Originality/valueThis research provides profound theoretical contributions to the emerging field of human-AI interaction and offer practical implications for marketers aiming to leverage voice assistant personalities to build trusted and long-lasting interactions.

Understanding Learner Satisfaction in Virtual Learning Environments: Serial Mediation Effects of Cognitive and Social-Emotional Factors

This study explored the relationship between technology acceptance and learning satisfaction within a virtual learning environment (VLE) with cognitive presence, cognitive engagement, social presence, and emotional engagement as mediators. A total of 237 university students participated and completed a questionnaire after studying in the Virbela VLE. The results revealed direct and indirect links between technology acceptance and virtual learning satisfaction. The mediation analysis showed the critical mediating roles of cognitive presence and emotional engagement in fostering satisfaction. There also appeared to be a sequential mediating pathway from technology acceptance to learning satisfaction through social presence and emotional engagement. Notably, cognitive engagement and social presence did not have a significant mediating effect on satisfaction. These results provide a supplementary perspective on how technological, cognitive, and emotional factors can enhance student satisfaction in VLEs. The study concludes with several implications for future research and practice of VLEs in higher education.

Transformational leadership and work engagement in remote work settings: the moderating role of the supervisor’s digital communication skills

PurposeThis study explores the impact of transformational leadership on work engagement within remote work settings. More specifically, we investigate whether supervisor’s perceived digital communication skills moderate the relationship between perceived supervisor support and work engagement.Design/methodology/approachModerated mediation model has been tested using a sample of 410 consultants in Italy who worked within a fully remote work setting during Covid-19 pandemic.FindingsDrawing on construal level theory and social presence theory, our study provides insights into the dynamics of leadership and work engagement in remote work settings. We demonstrate that, despite the challenges posed by physical distance, transformational leaders can effectively stimulate the work engagement of remote collaborators. Moreover, our findings suggest that the perceived digital communication skills of supervisors play a crucial role in moderating the relationship between perceived supervisor support and work engagement. This underscores the importance of supervisors' adept use of digital tools in conveying psychological presence and fostering employee engagement in remote work environments.Practical implicationsOur study highlights the importance of developing supervisors' digital communication skills to support and stimulate employee engagement in remote work settings.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature by providing one of the first empirical tests of the relationship between transformational leadership, perceived supervisor support, supervisor’s digital communication skills and work engagement within a remote work setting. By challenging prior assumptions and offering novel insights, our research enhances understanding of leadership dynamics and provides practical guidance for organizations navigating the challenges of remote work.

From engagement to retention: Unveiling factors driving user engagement and continued usage of mobile trading apps

The popularity of online mobile trading has led to an increase in the development of mobile stock trading applications. Despite this increase in popularity, there is a dearth of empirical studies that examine the factors influencing the continued usage intention of these applications (hereafter, apps). Drawing on stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) theory, this paper investigates the features of stock trading apps that generate consumer engagement and consequently, continued app usage intention. In study 1, through semi-structured interviews, we establish four key drivers of customer engagement with stock trading apps, and two possible moderators influencing the relationship between customer app engagement and continued usage intention. In study 2, we examine these key drivers by surveying stock trading app users from three different Facebook stock trading communities. The results confirm that the social presence and security features of these apps are significantly associated with consumer stock trading app engagement. We also find that fear of uncertainty and perceived corporate hypocrisy weaken the effect of customer app engagement on continued app usage intention. The study findings add to the literature on app usage and customer engagement and provide insights for fintech service companies to help them understand the factors that enhance consumer engagement with these apps.

The robo bias in conversational reviews: How the solicitation medium anthropomorphism affects product rating valence and review helpfulness

AbstractCompanies are increasingly introducing conversational reviews—reviews solicited via chatbots—to gain customer feedback. However, little is known about how chatbot-mediated solicitation influences rating valence and review helpfulness compared to conventional online forms. Therefore, we conceptualized these review solicitation media on the continuum of anthropomorphism and investigated how various levels of anthropomorphism affect rating valence and review helpfulness, showing that more anthropomorphic media lead to more positive and less helpful reviews. We found that moderate levels of anthropomorphism lead to increased interaction enjoyment, and high levels increase social presence, thus inflating the rating valence and decreasing review helpfulness. Further, the effect of anthropomorphism remains robust across review solicitors’ salience (sellers vs. platforms) and expressed emotionality in conversations. Our study is among the first to investigate chatbots as a new form of technology to solicit online reviews, providing insights to inform various stakeholders of the advantages, drawbacks, and potential ethical concerns of anthropomorphic technology in customer feedback solicitation.

Livestreaming commerce for luxury brands: how to enhance luxury perceptions through strategizing streamers?

Luxury brands have begun embracing livestreaming commerce since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the current knowledge regarding the impact of livestreaming commerce on luxury perceptions remains limited. This study explores how luxury perceptions can be enhanced in livestreaming commerce by investigating the role of streamer characteristics. More specifically, we examine the role of parasocial interaction, self-streamer congruity, and social presence. A survey was conducted among 432 Chinese respondents who had previously watched livestreams for luxury brands. The findings indicate that parasocial interaction and actual self-streamer congruity positively impact luxury perceptions by fostering enhanced feelings of social presence, while ideal self-streamer congruity is not an influential factor. The conclusion of this paper discussed implications for marketers and researchers.

Unveiling impulse buying patterns in travel live-streaming through the lens of social cognitive theory

Grounded in the social cognitive theory, the main aim of this study is to explore the impact of telepresence, social presence, and emotional engagement on impulsive buying tendencies within the realm of travel live-streaming (TLS). To examine further, the moderating effect of guidance shopping was included. An online questionnaire was distributed to 332 live-streaming viewers from China, and the collected data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that telepresence and social presence exert significant influences on emotional engagement and impulsive buying tendencies. Notably, the study identifies the mediating effect of emotional engagement and the moderating effect of guidance shopping. In practice, this research highlights the importance of streamers leveraging TLS platform functionalities to amplify the sense of “presence” and cultivate stronger emotional connections with viewers, thereby stimulating impulse buying. Additionally, streamers are encouraged to guide viewers in their decision-making process, addressing concerns to elevate engagement levels.

Durable Benefits of Learning-by-Teaching for Research Question Generation Performance: A Field Experiment

Generating good questions is central to scientific inquiry. How can we improve this skill in classrooms? This field experiment showed that teaching others enhances students’ ability to generate higher-order research questions that create new knowledge. Whereas learning-by-teaching often involves delivering face-to-face or video-recorded lectures, we tested its efficient implementation via writing a verbatim (i.e., word-for-word) teaching script, exactly as how one would orate a lecture. In a research and statistical methods course, 199 undergraduates studied statistical concepts by writing verbatim teaching scripts or study notes. One month later, students’ long-term learning was assessed on a high-stakes test, whereby they explained the concepts, applied them to design a study to test a given hypothesis, and generated create-level research questions about the concepts. Writing teaching scripts enhanced students’ research question generation and concept application more than writing study notes. The teaching advantage for these higher-order outcomes held although both techniques produced comparably high basic understanding when students explained the concepts at test. Further, students displayed greater generative processing, metacognitive monitoring, and social presence when writing teaching scripts than study notes. Learning-by-teaching can be leveraged in an efficient and inexpensive way via writing verbatim teaching scripts to improve meaningful, durable learning in classrooms.