TY - JOUR A1 - Hagemann, Linus A1 - Abramova, Olga T1 - Sentiment, we-talk and engagement on social media BT - insights from Twitter data mining on the US presidential elections 2020 JF - Internet research N2 - Purpose Given inconsistent results in prior studies, this paper applies the dual process theory to investigate what social media messages yield audience engagement during a political event. It tests how affective cues (emotional valence, intensity and collective self-representation) and cognitive cues (insight, causation, certainty and discrepancy) contribute to public engagement. Design/methodology/approach The authors created a dataset of more than three million tweets during the 2020 United States (US) presidential elections. Affective and cognitive cues were assessed via sentiment analysis. The hypotheses were tested in negative binomial regressions. The authors also scrutinized a subsample of far-famed Twitter users. The final dataset, scraping code, preprocessing and analysis are available in an open repository. Findings The authors found the prominence of both affective and cognitive cues. For the overall sample, negativity bias was registered, and the tweet’s emotionality was negatively related to engagement. In contrast, in the sub-sample of tweets from famous users, emotionally charged content produced higher engagement. The role of sentiment decreases when the number of followers grows and ultimately becomes insignificant for Twitter participants with many followers. Collective self-representation (“we-talk”) is consistently associated with more likes, comments and retweets in the overall sample and subsamples. Originality/value The authors expand the dominating one-sided perspective to social media message processing focused on the peripheral route and hence affective cues. Leaning on the dual process theory, the authors shed light on the effectiveness of both affective (peripheral route) and cognitive (central route) cues on information appeal and dissemination on Twitter during a political event. The popularity of the tweet’s author moderates these relationships. KW - social media KW - engagement KW - data mining KW - big data Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1108/INTR-12-2021-0885 SN - 1066-2243 VL - 33 IS - 6 SP - 2058 EP - 2085 PB - Emeral CY - Bingley ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kapidzic, Sanja A1 - Frey, Felix A1 - Neuberger, Christoph A1 - Stieglitz, Stefan A1 - Mirbabaie, Milad T1 - Crisis communication on Twitter BT - differences between user types in top tweets about the 2015 “refugee crisis” in Germany JF - International journal of communication N2 - The study explores differences between three user types in the top tweets about the 2015 “refugee crisis” in Germany and presents the results of a quantitative content analysis. All tweets with the keyword “Flüchtlinge” posted for a monthlong period following September 13, 2015, the day Germany decided to implement border controls, were collected (N = 763,752). The top 2,495 tweets according to number of retweets were selected for analysis. Differences between news media, public and private actor tweets in topics, tweet characteristics such as tone and opinion expression, links, and specific sentiments toward refugees were analyzed. We found strong differences between the tweets. Public actor tweets were the main source of positive sentiment toward refugees and the main information source on refugee support. News media tweets mostly reflected traditional journalistic norms of impartiality and objectivity, whereas private actor tweets were more diverse in sentiments toward refugees. KW - refugee crisis 2015 KW - Germany KW - social media KW - Twitter KW - user types Y1 - 2023 UR - https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/18172/4022 SN - 1932-8036 VL - 17 SP - 735 EP - 754 PB - The Annenberg Center for Communication CY - Los Angeles, Calif. ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Fischer-Preßler, Diana A1 - Marx, Julian A1 - Bunker, Deborah A1 - Stieglitz, Stefan A1 - Fischbach, Kai T1 - Social media information governance in multi-level organizations BT - how humanitarian organizations accrue social capital JF - Information and management N2 - Strategic social media use positively influences organizational goals such as the long-term accrual of social capital, and thus social media information governance has become an increasingly important organizational objective. It is particularly important for humanitarian nongovernmental organizations (HNGOs), whose work relies on accurate and timely information regarding socially altruistic behavior (donations, volunteerism, etc.). Despite the potential of social media for increasing social capital, tensions in governing social media information across an organization's different operational levels (regional, intermediate, and national) pose a difficult challenge. Prominent governance frameworks offer little guidance, as their focus on control and incremental policymaking is largely incompatible with the processes, roles, standards, and metrics needed for managing self-governing social media. This study offers a notion of dynamic and co-evolutionary process management of multi-level organizations as a means of conceptualizing social media information governance for the accrual of organizational social capital. Based on interviews with members of HNGOs, this study reveals tensions that emerge within eight focus areas of accruing social capital in multi-level organizations, explains how dynamic process management can ease those tensions, and proposes corresponding strategy recommendations. KW - social media KW - social capital KW - information governance KW - dynamic and co-evolutionary process management Y1 - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2023.103838 SN - 0378-7206 SN - 1872-7530 VL - 60 IS - 7 SP - 1 EP - 18 PB - Elsevier Science CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Krause, Hannes-Vincent A1 - Große Deters, Fenne A1 - Baumann, Annika A1 - Krasnova, Hanna T1 - Active social media use and its impact on well-being BT - an experimental study on the effects of posting pictures on Instagram JF - Journal of computer-mediated communication : a journal of the International Communication Association N2 - Active use of social networking sites (SNSs) has long been assumed to benefit users' well-being. However, this established hypothesis is increasingly being challenged, with scholars criticizing its lack of empirical support and the imprecise conceptualization of active use. Nevertheless, with considerable heterogeneity among existing studies on the hypothesis and causal evidence still limited, a final verdict on its robustness is still pending. To contribute to this ongoing debate, we conducted a week-long randomized control trial with N = 381 adult Instagram users recruited via Prolific. Specifically, we tested how active SNS use, operationalized as picture postings on Instagram, affects different dimensions of well-being. The results depicted a positive effect on users' positive affect but null findings for other well-being outcomes. The findings broadly align with the recent criticism against the active use hypothesis and support the call for a more nuanced view on the impact of SNSs.
Lay Summary Active use of social networking sites (SNSs) has long been assumed to benefit users' well-being. However, this established assumption is increasingly being challenged, with scholars criticizing its lack of empirical support and the imprecise conceptualization of active use. Nevertheless, with great diversity among conducted studies on the hypothesis and a lack of causal evidence, a final verdict on its viability is still pending. To contribute to this ongoing debate, we conducted a week-long experimental investigation with 381 adult Instagram users. Specifically, we tested how posting pictures on Instagram affects different aspects of well-being. The results of this study depicted a positive effect of posting Instagram pictures on users' experienced positive emotions but no effects on other aspects of well-being. The findings broadly align with the recent criticism against the active use hypothesis and support the call for a more nuanced view on the impact of SNSs on users. KW - social networking sites KW - social media KW - Instagram KW - well-being KW - experiment KW - randomized control trial Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1093/jcmc/zmac037 SN - 1083-6101 VL - 28 IS - 1 PB - Oxford Univ. Press CY - Oxford ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Abramova, Olga A1 - Batzel, Katharina A1 - Modesti, Daniela T1 - Collective response to the health crisis among German Twitter users BT - a structural topic modeling approach JF - International Journal of Information Management Data Insights N2 - We used structural topic modeling to analyze over 800,000 German tweets about COVID-19 to answer the questions: What patterns emerge in tweets as a response to a health crisis? And how do topics discussed change over time? The study leans on the goals associated with the health information seeking (GAINS) model, discerning whether a post aims at tackling and eliminating the problem (i.e., problem-focused) or managing the emotions (i.e., emotion-focused); whether it strives to maximize positive outcomes (promotion focus) or to minimize negative outcomes (prevention focus). The findings indicate four clusters salient in public reactions: 1) “Understanding” (problem-promotion); 2) “Action planning” (problem-prevention); 3) “Hope” (emotion-promotion) and 4) “Reassurance” (emotion-prevention). Public communication is volatile over time, and a shift is evidenced from self-centered to community-centered topics within 4.5 weeks. Our study illustrates social media text mining's potential to quickly and efficiently extract public opinions and reactions. Monitoring fears and trending topics enable policymakers to rapidly respond to deviant behavior, like resistive attitudes toward containment measures or deteriorating physical health. Healthcare workers can use the insights to provide mental health services for battling anxiety or extensive loneliness from staying home. KW - social media KW - Twitter KW - modeling KW - regulatory focus theory KW - crisis management KW - text mining Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jjimei.2022.100126 SN - 2667-0968 VL - 2 IS - 2 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Skowronski, Marika A1 - Busching, Robert A1 - Krahé, Barbara T1 - Links between exposure to sexualized Instagram images and body image concerns in girls and boys JF - Journal of media psychology N2 - The current study examined the links between viewing female and male sexualized Instagram images (SII) and body image concerns within the three-step process of self-objectification among adolescents aged 13-18 years from Germany (N = 300, 61% female). Participants completed measures of SII use, thin- and muscular-ideal internalization, valuing appearance over competence, and body surveillance. Structural equation modeling revealed that SII use was associated with body image concerns for boys and girls via different routes. Specifically, female SII use was indirectly associated with higher body surveillance via thin-ideal internalization and subsequent valuing appearance over competence for girls. For both girls and boys, male SII use was indirectly linked to higher body surveillance via muscular-ideal internalization. Implications for the three-step model of self-objectification by sexualized social media are discussed. KW - social media KW - sexualization KW - body image concerns KW - self-objectification; KW - body surveillance Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-1105/a000296 SN - 1864-1105 SN - 2151-2388 VL - 34 IS - 1 SP - 55 EP - 62 PB - Hogrefe & Huber Publ. [u.a.] CY - Göttingen ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Meier, Adrian A1 - Krause, Hannes-Vincent T1 - Does passive social media use harm well-being? BT - an adversarial review JF - Journal of media psychology N2 - Research into the effects of social media on well-being often distinguishes “active” and “passive” use, with passive use supposedly more harmful to well-being (i.e., the passive use hypothesis). Recently, several studies and reviews have begun to question this hypothesis and its conceptual basis, the active/passive dichotomy. As this dichotomy has become a staple of social media research but evidence challenging its validity is mounting, a comprehensive debate on its pros, cons, and potential future is needed. This adversarial review brings together two voices – one more supportive, and the other more critical – toward the active/passive model. In constructive dialogue, we summarize and contrast our two opposing positions: The first position argues that the active/passive dichotomy is a useful framework because it adequately describes how and why passive use is (more) harmful for well-being. The second position challenges the validity of the dichotomy and the passive use hypothesis specifically. Arguments are presented alongside (a) the empirical basis, (b) conceptualization, and (c) operationalization of active and passive use, with particular focus on the passive use hypothesis. Rather than offering a conciliatory summary of the status quo, the goal of this review is to carve out key points of friction in the literature on the effects of social media through fruitful debate. We summarize our main agreements and unresolved disagreements on the merits and shortcomings of the active/passive dichotomy. In doing so, this review paves the way for researchers to decide whether and how they want to continue applying this lens in their future work. KW - social media KW - active/passive dichotomy KW - well-being KW - adversarial review Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-1105/a000358 SN - 1864-1105 SN - 2151-2388 VL - 35 IS - 3 SP - 169 EP - 180 PB - Hogrefe CY - Göttingen ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Gabowitsch, Mischa T1 - Belarusian protest BT - regimes of engagement and coordination JF - Slavic review : interdisciplinary quarterly of Russian, Eurasian and East European studies / publ. by the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies N2 - The Belarusian protest movement that started in August 2020 has been discussed from the point of view of strategy and objectives, and as the cradle of a new subjectivity. This essay goes beyond those two perspectives by looking at the regimes of engagement, developing in interaction with the material and technological environment, that have given the protests their distinctive style. The first part looks at coordination and representation at protest events and in producing protest symbols such as flags. The second part discusses the role of Telegram and the emergence of local protest groups. Even though the movement did not grow organically out of everyday concerns, there are some signs that it has begun to reassemble local communities from above. Yet there are also indications that politics continues to be seen as distinct from everyday life, making it uncertain that the movement will lead to a deeper transformation of society. KW - Belarus KW - protest KW - regimes of engagement KW - flag-making KW - social media Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1017/slr.2021.28 SN - 0037-6779 SN - 2325-7784 N1 - Critical Discussion Forum: The sociology of protest in Belarus — Social dynamics, ideological shifts, and demand for change VL - 80 IS - 1 SP - 27 EP - 37 PB - Cambridge University Press CY - Cambridge ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Skowronski, Marika A1 - Busching, Robert A1 - Krahé, Barbara T1 - Predicting adolescents’ self-objectification from sexualized video game and Instagram use BT - A longitudinal study JF - Sex roles : a journal of research N2 - A growing body of research has demonstrated negative effects of sexualization in the media on adolescents' body image, but longitudinal studies and research including interactive and social media are scarce. The current study explored the longitudinal associations of adolescents' use of sexualized video games (SVG) and sexualized Instagram images (SII) with body image concerns. Specifically, our study examined relations between adolescents' SVG and SII use and appearance comparisons, thin- and muscular-ideal internalization, valuing appearance over competence, and body surveillance. A sample of 660 German adolescents (327 female, 333 male;M-age = 15.09 years) participated in two waves with an interval of 6 months. A structural equation model showed that SVG and SII use at Time 1 predicted body surveillance indirectly via valuing appearance over competence at Time 2. Furthermore, SVG and SII use indirectly predicted both thin- and muscular-ideal internalization through appearance comparisons at Time 1. In turn, thin-ideal internalization at Time 1 predicted body surveillance indirectly via valuing appearance over competence at Time 2. The results indicate that sexualization in video games and on Instagram can play an important role in increasing body image concerns among adolescents. We discuss the findings with respect to objectification theory and the predictive value of including appearance comparisons in models explaining the relation between sexualized media and self-objectification. KW - social media KW - computer games KW - sexualization KW - body image KW - self-objectification Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-020-01187-1 SN - 0360-0025 SN - 1573-2762 VL - 84 IS - 9-10 SP - 584 EP - 598 PB - Springer CY - New York ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Studen, Laura A1 - Tiberius, Victor T1 - Social Media, Quo Vadis? BT - Prospective Development and Implications JF - Future Internet N2 - Over the past two decades, social media have become a crucial and omnipresent cultural and economic phenomenon, which has seen platforms come and go and advance technologically. In this study, we explore the further development of social media regarding interactive technologies, platform development, relationships to news media, the activities of institutional and organizational users, and effects of social media on the individual and the society over the next five to ten years by conducting an international, two-stage Delphi study. Our results show that enhanced interaction on platforms, including virtual and augmented reality, somatosensory sense, and touch- and movement-based navigation are expected. AIs will interact with other social media users. Inactive user profiles will outnumber active ones. Platform providers will diversify into the WWW, e-commerce, edu-tech, fintechs, the automobile industry, and HR. They will change to a freemium business model and put more effort into combating cybercrime. Social media will become the predominant news distributor, but fake news will still be problematic. Firms will spend greater amounts of their budgets on social media advertising, and schools, politicians, and the medical sector will increase their social media engagement. Social media use will increasingly lead to individuals’ psychic issues. Society will benefit from economic growth and new jobs, increased political interest, democratic progress, and education due to social media. However, censorship and the energy consumption of platform operators might rise. KW - Delphi study KW - individual effects KW - interactive technologies KW - news media KW - social media KW - societal effects Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/fi12090146 SN - 1999-5903 VL - 12 IS - 9 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER -