Persuasion in 140 characters: Testing issue framing,persuasion and credibility via Twitter and online news articles in the gun control debate

Using a 2 × 2 × 4 experimental design, this study examined the framing of the pro and anti-gun control arguments posited after the Sandy Hook shooting and the resultant effect on persuasion and credibility. Overall, pro-gun control frames were more persuasive and more credible than anti-gun control frames. Arguments transmitted via online news articles elicited more persuasion than those transmitted via Twitter. News article sources were deemed more credible too. I discuss the ramifications within.     

论现代教育技术在网络思想政治工作中的作用

互联网给传统的思想教育工作模式和思维模式带来了极大的挑战,而信息技术和现代教育技术的发展则给网络思想政治工作带来了一个良好的发展契机。因此,用现代教育技术的有力武器来武装网上思想政治教育工作阵地,开展广泛的网络教育,进行网上思想政治工作宣传势在必行而且大有可为。     

The Mediatization of E‐Campaigning: Evidence From German Party Websites in State,National, and European Parliamentary Elections 2002–2009

The rise of e‐campaigning is often associated with its ability to circumvent journalistic principles of news selection and presentation. By this, parties and candidates are said to free themselves from the discretionary power of the mass media and to reach voters in an unfiltered way. This conventional wisdom is tested through a comparative content analysis of German party websites in state, national, and European parliamentary elections between 2002 and 2009. The results show that e‐campaigns in all elections adhere in their messages to the media logic. Specifically, they replicate those patterns of offline coverage that have been held accountable for rising political alienation and civic apathy. Moreover, the mediatization of German e‐campaigning grows over time.     

An examination of disposition, motivation, and involvement in the new technology context computers in human behavior

This study investigated the relationship among dispositions (i.e., Internet self-efficacy, Internet anxiety), Internet motives, and involvement (i.e., media involvement, interaction involvement). By integrating mass communication and interpersonal communication research, the author found the dispositions played a more important role in explaining involvement than demographics did. Interpersonal utility motive and pass-time motive were important predictors of involvement. An interesting finding is that interpersonal utility motive negatively predicted interaction involvement, and positively predicted cognitive media involvement. In addition, this study provided insight into the Internet motives typology proposed by Papacharissi and Rubin [Papacharissi, Z., & Rubin, A. M. (2000). Predictors of internet use. Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, 44, 175–196.].     

Harmonious and obsessive Internet passion,competence, and self-worth: A study of high school students in the United States and Russia

This study uses a dualistic model of passion to examine the relationships between Internet passion and perceptions of competence and general self-worth among high school students in the United States and Russia. Indirect relationships between harmonious and obsessive Internet passion and general self-worth, and the mediating roles of cognitive and social competence were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The majority of the findings were identical in both the U.S. and Russian samples. Harmonious Internet passion was found to be positively related to cognitive and social competence, and general self-worth, while obsessive Internet passion was negatively related to the three constructs. Culture-specific findings include the mediating role of social competence on the relationship between harmonious and obsessive Internet passion and general self-worth in the United States, but not in Russia. This research contributes to the ongoing debate about whether excessive Internet use is good or bad by demonstrating that it can be both depending on the type of passion involved. This study provides direction for high school administrators and parents about how to effectively capitalize on the benefits of Internet use by encouraging harmonious passion and discouraging obsessive passion.     

A longitudinal study of the effects of Internet use and videogame playing on academic performance and the roles of gender, race and income in these relationships

In this research we examined the effects of Internet use and videogame playing on children’s academic performance. Gender, race, and income were also considered. Participants were 482 youth, average age 12 years old. One-third were African American and two-thirds were Caucasian American. All measures were completed twice, first in Year 1 and then one year later, Year 2. Results indicated that greater Internet use was associated with better reading skills, but only for youth initially low in reading skills. Videogame playing was associated with better visual-spatial skill but also with lower GPAs. Gender, race and income influenced Internet use, videogame playing and academic performance but not the relationships between using these technologies and academic performance. Implications of the results for increasing the benefits of technology use are discussed.     

Quaternion representations of the O(3) group, and their applications in robotics

Abstract algebraic methods for solving different mathematical tasks have found widespread applications in theoretical physics and in several technical applications. Though group theory can be used to achieve the most simple and transparent formulation of different tasks, it is not very well known by engineers. The aim of this paper is to discuss quaternion representations of the O⁺(3) Lie group from the aspect of robotics. The main features of these representations, as well as their advantages over the pure 3 × 3 matrix (self-)representation, are discussed in the formulation and solution of the direct and inverse kinematic tasks for robots of general wrist-joint structure. To illustrate the convenience of quaternion formulations a particular solution of the inverse kinematic task has been developed on the basis of the concept of non-Euclidean (curved) spaces. A possible Hopfield-type neural-network application appropriate to the proposed solution is also considered.     

论提高民营企业家思想政治素质的意义、作用和特点

在社会主义市场经济背景下 ,民营经济发展中的民营企业家的思想政治素质对企业家自身成长、企业发展及其对社会贡献 ,有十分重要的影响。提高民营企业家思想政治素质是民营经济发展的客观要求 ,提高民营企业家思想政治素质具有提升民营企业的社会地位、增强企业凝聚力、创造良好的市场和社会环境、增强民营企业的社会责任感等作用 ;阐述了民营企业家思想政治素质具有普遍对社会政治较为关心、素质层次差别较大、受社会传统文化影响大、具有很强的实践性和主要以维护经济利益为目的的特点     

Cultural Cues in Students' Computer‐Mediated Communication: Influences on E‐mail Style,Perception of the Sender,and Willingness to Help

Computer‐mediated communication among university students with different cultural backgrounds has become widespread. In this study, we examine how undergraduates (N = 130) react to cultural cues when responding to an e‐mail request for cooperation sent by a peer. Participants rated the sender's personality and stated their willingness to help. In the inquiry, 2 types of cultural cues were varied, resulting in a 2 × 2 factorial design: ethnicity (German vs. Chinese name) and communication style (Western vs. Asian). Results showed that participants aligned their responses to the communication style; however, the ethnicity cue influenced the wording of their response, their perception of the sender's personality and their willingness to help. Results are discussed regarding communication accommodation and social judgment theories.     

How to maneuver in the world of negative online reviews,the important ethical considerations for attorneys,and changes needed to protect the legal profession

The advent of the Internet and social media has revolutionized the way society communicates, the speed in which news is disseminated, and the approach that people take in their daily decision-making. Online reviews are now common place on nearly every consumer-related website. Consequently, attorneys are also being publicly scrutinized by their clients on a range of topics from price, competence, satisfaction, personality, communication, and effectiveness. On one side of the coin, this new phenomenon can be very rewarding since attorneys were previously limited to receiving a small number of referrals from the word-of-mouth promotion before the creation of online reviews. However, the exact opposite is true. Negative online reviews, whether accurate or not, may deter potential clients from even giving the attorney a second thought. As a result, a firm's business can feel the immediate impact of negative reviews. Attorneys, who legitimately need and want to protect their business and reputation, cannot speak freely online to defend their honor. Rather, an attorney must be mindful of not disclosing confidential client information or crossing other ethical lines that may then expose the attorney to potential discipline. There are several interests that must be considered such as allowing attorneys to exercise their First Amendment right to free speech, respect and adherence to the ethical rules of non-disclosure of confidential information, allowing attorneys to preserve their reputation, and protecting an attorney's marketability and means of generating income. This article explores the trend in offering reviews online in a variety of industries, including legal services, the statistical findings regarding the prevalence of this information and consumers' reliance on the information while making a purchasing decision. This article also considers the positive and negative implications of the reviews being so widely spread, while highlighting unique considerations as it relates to the practice of law and factors that may greatly skew a reviewer and reader's perceptions. Next, this article outlines the ethical considerations of attorneys if they want to respond to negative online feedback, such as disclosure of confidential information. Then, this article analyzes the American Bar Association (ABA) and several US states' ethics opinions for guidance for attorneys who wish to respond negative reviews. Finally, this article details the author's recommendations for attorneys, the ABA, and the US states and propose the areas where additional ethics opinions, rules and guidelines should be focused to establish a proper balance between the valuable insights discovered from a client's review and attorneys' legitimate interests in protecting their reputation and livelihood from inaccurate, malicious, or erroneous postings.     

Midgar: Detection of people through computer vision in the Internet of Things scenarios to improve the security in Smart Cities,Smart Towns,and Smart Homes

Could we use Computer Vision in the Internet of Things for using pictures as sensors? This is the principal hypothesis that we want to resolve. Currently, in order to create safety areas, cities, or homes, people use IP cameras. Nevertheless, this system needs people who watch the camera images, watch the recording after something occurred, or watch when the camera notifies them of any movement. These are the disadvantages. Furthermore, there are many Smart Cities and Smart Homes around the world. This is why we thought of using the idea of the Internet of Things to add a way of automating the use of IP cameras. In our case, we propose the analysis of pictures through Computer Vision to detect people in the analysed pictures. With this analysis, we are able to obtain if these pictures contain people and handle the pictures as if they were sensors with two possible states. Notwithstanding, Computer Vision is a very complicated field. This is why we needed a second hypothesis: Could we work with Computer Vision in the Internet of Things with a good accuracy to automate or semi-automate this kind of events? The demonstration of these hypotheses required a testing over our Computer Vision module to check the possibilities that we have to use this module in a possible real environment with a good accuracy. Our proposal, as a possible solution, is the analysis of entire sequence instead of isolated pictures for using pictures as sensors in the Internet of Things.     

Data quality,sensitive data and joint controllership as examples of grey areas in the existing data protection framework for the Internet of Things

‘The technology used to provide connectivity from anytime, any place and for anyone. Now anything can be added to the list.’¹¹ITU Internet reports 2005: ‘The Internet of Things’ <http://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itus/opb/pol/S-POL-IR.IT-2005-SUM-PDF-E.pdf> 2, accessed 27 April 2015.View all notes In the Internet of Things (‘IoT’), the amount of individuals’ data collected and processed is increasing substantially as data are being collected from various sources. Most communications between smart devices occur automatically, potentially without the user being aware of it. Many questions arise around the vulnerability of the devices in the IoT, often deployed outside a traditional IT structure and lacking sufficient built-in security. The IoT demands consideration and research into how to best balance the opportunities that the IoT affords against legal risks it imposes on data protection. Considerable questions about how our currently existing EU framework for protection of personal data applies in IoT are being raised. The data protection legislation needs to move from theory to practice and in order to achieve this; the legal framework may need additional mechanisms.     

黑河中游试验区不同分辨率LAI数据处理、分析和尺度转换

008年开展的黑河综合遥感联合试验获取了大量野外实测叶面积指数(LAI)数据以及遥感LAI产品。在利用LAI地面点观测数据对遥感影像进行验证或者不同分辨率遥感产品相互比较的过程中存在由于地表异质性引起的尺度效应,导致无法直接进行验证、比较,需要进行尺度转换。以基于泰勒级数展开的尺度转换模型为基础,研究不同源LAI之间的尺度转换方法。包括两部分内容：① 以高分辨率影像为辅助数据将地面实测点尺度的LAI转换到中、低分辨率遥感像元尺度;② 利用高分辨率影像作为亚像元信息对低分辨率LAI产品进行尺度纠正。结果表明,利用泰勒级数展开模型进行尺度转换是一种简单可行的方法,经尺度转换的地面实测点尺度LAI可用作像元尺度数据比较验证的参考。