Understanding moderating effects of collectivist cultural orientation on the knowledge sharing attitude by email

This paper investigates the moderating effects of collectivist cultural orientation introduced in the information systems and knowledge management (KM) literature to fully understand the important factors and relationships in knowledge sharing in the online learning environment. Social norms and collectivist cultural orientation are hypothesized as direct and moderating factors to the system users’ (or learners’) attitude toward sharing knowledge by email. An empirical test of large student samples (n = 566) with multiple cultural backgrounds in the most diverse university was implemented by PLS. The test confirmed that collectivist cultural orientation moderates the effects of social norms on the attitude toward sharing knowledge by email. Furthermore, the test results show that group norms are stronger than the instructor or classmate norms. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings for online learning and KM are discussed in the paper.     

Color red in web-based knowledge testing

Computer- and web-based testing procedures are increasingly popular for the assessment of cognitive abilities and knowledge. This paper identified color red as a critical context factor that may influence the results. Two studies showed that color red may harm the performance in web-based tests of general knowledge. In Study 1 (N = 131) a red (vs. green) progress bar impeded the performance in a knowledge test, but only for the male participants. In Study 2 (N = 190) the color of the survey’s forward-button was manipulated (red vs. blue vs. mixed color) which led to a replication of the gender-dependent color effect. Evolutionary psychology and stereotype threat research explain why red impedes the activation of knowledge among men, but not among women.     

Who wants to be “friend-rich”? Social compensatory friending on Facebook and the moderating role of public self-consciousness

The present research aims to provide insight into social compensatory friending on social network sites by investigating the effects of self-esteem and self-consciousness on number of friends in the context of Facebook use. It was hypothesized that Facebook users low in self-esteem, when compared with high-self-esteem individuals, would engage in friending more actively and thereby accumulate a large number of friends as a way to compensate for the deficiency in self-esteem. We also hypothesized that the relationship between self-esteem and number of Facebook friends would vary depending on the levels of public self-consciousness. Data were collected from a college student sample in the United States (N = 234) based on an online cross-sectional survey. The results supported the hypothesis on social compensatory friending, demonstrating a negative association between self-esteem and number of Facebook friends. Furthermore, the data yielded support for the hypothesized moderating role of public self-consciousness in social compensatory friending: the negative association between self-esteem and number of Facebook friends was significant only for Facebook users who are high in public self-consciousness but not for those who are low in public self-consciousness. Implications for understanding social network site users’ friending behavior in light of social compensation motives are discussed.     

The more humanlike,the better? How speech type and users’ cognitive style affect social responses to computers

The present experiment investigated if anthropomorphic interfaces facilitate people’s tendency to project social expectations onto computers and how such effects might vary depending on users’ cognitive style. In a 2 (synthetic vs. recorded speech) × 2 (flattering vs. generic feedback) × 2 (low vs. high rationality) × 2 (low vs. high experientiality) experiment, participants played a trivia game with a computer. Use of recorded speech did not amplify the previously documented flattery effects (Fogg & Nass, 1997), challenging the notion that anthropomorphism will promote social responses to computers. Participants evaluated the human-voiced computer more positively and conformed more to its suggestions than the one using synthetic speech, but such effects were found only among less analytical or more intuition-driven individuals, suggesting dispositional differences in people’s susceptibility to anthropomorphic cues embedded in the interface.     

The impact of perceived ease of use on Internet service adoption: The moderating effects of temporal distance and perceived risk

Perceived ease of use is found to affect consumer’s intention toward using an Internet-based service. However, to protect online transaction security, more security verification mechanisms are established which in turn increase the complexity and difficulty of using online services. This study proposed that the importance of perceived ease of use is depending on short- vs. long-term transaction expectation, product type, and whether security concern information is presented. In certain situations buyers or sellers of an Internet service may tolerate the inconvenience of using the Internet-based service. A 2 (verification requirement) × 2 (network externality) × 2 (short vs. long term) between-subject design was conducted on sellers of an auction site and a 2 (verification requirement) × 2 (product type) × 2 (with vs. without security concern information) between-subject design was conducted on buyers of an auction site. The results of two studies suggest that perceived ease of use increases the intention toward using online service when sellers expect that the Internet service usage is only for a short-term transaction or when buyers have no access of the security concern information on the website. In contrast, sellers prefer using an online service which requires a relatively high verification requirement when the purpose of using Internet service is for long-term transaction or when buyers have access of security concern information. The results also showed that perceived network externality positively affect sellers’ intention toward using an auction website.     

Personality traits and knowledge sharing in online communities

Adopting diffusion theory and the concept of social value orientation, the effects of personality traits on knowledge sharing in a virtual open content community are investigated. In addition to the main effects of personality, it was hypothesized that intrinsic motivations would moderate the effects on knowledge sharing. A sample of N = 256 active users of Wikipedia provided measures of personality, motivation, and knowledge sharing. Latent regression analyses support the notion that authorship of Wikipedia is associated with higher levels of trendsetting and a prosocial value orientation. Moreover, moderation analyses demonstrate that the effect of the latter is moderated by individual differences in motivations to write. Differences with regard to opinion leadership could not be confirmed.     

Knowledge seekers’ and contributors’ reactions to recommendation mechanisms in knowledge management systems

We examined the behavior of knowledge seekers and contributors to an internal Knowledge Management System (KMS) in a multinational organization. The system has two selection mechanisms, based on semantic algorithms and user ratings. The first utilizes an algorithm to ‘measure’ the quality of knowledge contributions and ranks them accordingly, while the second averages the ratings that knowledge items receive from KMS users. Building on appraisal theory, we found that knowledge seekers and contributors reacted differently to the two mechanisms. The rating-based rankings positively influenced knowledge seekers’ tendency to access, comment on, and spread the knowledge shared in the KMS, while the algorithm-based ranking positively influenced knowledge contributors’ to continue sharing knowledge via the system. Moreover, shorter (or longer) time delay between the time that the knowledge was shared and the time when knowledge contributors received their first comments seemed to positively (or negatively) influence the contributors’ tendency to continue sharing knowledge via the KMS. Our study adds to the existing KMS literature by investigating knowledge seekers’ and contributors’ reactions to the two different knowledge recommendation mechanisms, and recommends that managers understand the importance of implementing algorithm-based rankings in their KMS as well as the simpler and more commonly adopted rating-based ranking.     

A study of Facebook Groups members’ knowledge sharing

There have been many studies focusing on individuals’ knowledge sharing behavior in the organizational setting. With the rapid prevalence of social networking sites, many people began to express their thoughts or share their knowledge via Facebook website. Facebook is an open environment which does not provide any immediate monetary benefits to its users. Its Groups members’ knowledge sharing behavior could be different from the ones in organizations. We proposed a research model to examine factors which promote the Facebook Groups users’ willingness to share knowledge. The factors in the study include extrinsic motivation, social and psychological forces, and social networking sharing culture. We used PLS to test our proposed hypotheses based on 271 responses collected through an online survey. Our results indicated that reputation would affect knowledge sharing attitude of Groups members and sense of self-worth would directly and indirectly (through subjective norm) affect the attitude. In addition, social networking sharing culture (fairness, identification, and openness) is the most significant factor, not only directly affecting knowledge sharing intention, but also indirectly influencing the sharing intention through subjective norm and knowledge sharing attitude.     

Effect of knowledge sharing visibility on incentive-based relationship in Electronic Knowledge Management Systems: An empirical investigation

Previous studies have confirmed the knowledge sharing visibility (KSV) may ensure the incentive-sharing relationship within traditional organizations. However, considering high loafing tendency in IT-based and distributed environments, this effect should be re-examined. This study examines how KSV impacts on incentive-based relationship in IT-based knowledge management systems. The data were collected from real KM systems in an innovative service company. The results show that, in distributed environment, KSV was still a critical moderators in the prediction of employee’s knowledge sharing behaviors. In the electronic KMS environment, the positive relationship between incentive and KS is stronger when employees’ perceived KSV is higher. This research contributes theoretically to KS literature in examing the KSV as the three-way moderators on incentive-based relationship in IT-based environment, from real organizational samples.     

Investigating the relations between motivation,tool use,participation, and performance in an e-learning course using web-videoconferencing

Web-videoconference systems offer several tools (like chat, audio, and webcam) that vary in the amount and type of information learners can share with each other and the teacher. It has been proposed that tools fostering more direct social interaction and feedback amongst learners and teachers would foster higher levels of engagement. If so, one would expect that the richer the tools used, the higher the levels of learner engagement. However, the actual use of tools and contributions to interactions in the learning situation may relate to students’ motivation. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between available tools used, student motivation, participation, and performance on a final exam in an online course in economics (N = 110). In line with our assumptions, we found some support for the expected association between autonomous motivation and participation in web-videoconferences as well as between autonomous motivation and the grade on the final exam. Students’ tool use and participation were significantly correlated with each other and with exam scores, but participation appeared to be a stronger predictor of the final exam score than tool use. This study adds to the knowledge base needed to develop guidelines on how synchronous communication in e-learning can be used.     

Self-concept,self-esteem,gender, race and information technology use

This research addressed two fundamental questions regarding self-concept, self-esteem, gender, race and information technology use. First, is technology use related to dimensions of self-concept and/or to self-esteem? Second, are there gender and/or race differences in self-concept, self-esteem and technology use? Approximately 500 youth, average age 12 years old, one-third of whom were African American and the remaining two-thirds were Caucasian American, completed multidimensional measures of self-concept, the Rosenberg (1965) self-esteem scale and measures of frequency of Internet use, Internet use for communication (email and instant messaging), videogame playing and cell phone use. Findings indicated that technology use predicted dimensions of selfconcept and self-esteem, with videogame playing having a negative influence, and Internet use having a positive influence on self-concept dimensions. Gender differences were observed on several self-concept dimensions but contrary to expectations not on the social self-concept dimension. Only one race difference was observed and this was in behavioral self-concept. Implications of the benefits and liabilities of youth’s current and future technology use are discussed.     

Does cognitive load moderate the seductive details effect? A multimedia study

Several studies have shown that adding seductive details to instructional materials has a detrimental effect on learning. However, other studies have shown non-significant findings. The present study uses cognitive load theory as a theoretical framework to explain these controversial results in seductive details research. Using a 2 × 2 experimental design we asked a group of high-school students (N = 100) to learn about biology with a multimedia environment that manipulated the presence of seductive details (with vs. without) and the modality of the verbal information (high load, on-screen text vs. low load, narration). The findings showed that students’ learning performance was significantly higher when seductive details were presented under the low load condition (narration) as compared to all other conditions. The theoretical implications for understanding the effects of non-redundant and interesting, but irrelevant learning material are discussed and future research directions are presented.     

Collaborative knowledge building with wikis: The impact of redundancy and polarity

Wikis as shared digital artifacts may enable users to participate in processes of knowledge building. To what extent and with which quality knowledge building can take place is assumed to depend on the interrelation between people’s prior knowledge and the information available in a wiki. In two experimental studies we examined the impact on learning and knowledge building of the redundancy (Study 1) and polarity (Study 2) between participants’ prior knowledge and information available in the wiki. Based on the co-evolution model of cognitive and social systems, external assimilation and accommodation were used as dependent variables to measure knowledge building. The results supported the hypotheses that a medium level of redundancy and a high level of polarity foster external accommodation processes. External assimilation was stimulated by low redundancy and a high level of polarity. Moreover, we found that individual learning was influenced by the degree of external assimilation.     

Dynamic scaffolding of socially regulated learning in a computer-based learning environment

The aim of this study is to test the effects of dynamically scaffolding social regulation of middle school students working in a computer-based learning environment. Dyads in the scaffolding condition (N = 56) are supported with computer-generated scaffolds and students in the control condition (N = 54) do not receive scaffolds. The scaffolds are dynamically adjusted to dyads’ progress with an attention management system. The scaffolds support two aspects of socially regulated learning namely the metacognitive and cognitive activities. We analyzed the effects of dynamic scaffolding on dyads’ performance, their perception of the learning environment and students' knowledge acquisition. We found that scaffolding had a positive effect on the dyads’ learning performance, but did not affect students’ domain knowledge. The repeated measurements of perception of the learning environment showed that dyads in the experimental condition were more positive about their teachers and their collaborators than students in the control condition. With respect to their perception of the software and the 3D embodied agent delivering the scaffolds, we found a stronger decrease of appreciation over time in the scaffolding condition compared to the control condition.     

Virtual agents in retail web sites: Benefits of simulated social interaction for older users

This study investigates the benefits of simulated social interaction (social presence) through virtual agents for older users’ experience in retail Web sites, particularly with respect to age-related barriers to the adoption of online retailing. In Study 1, through four focus group interviews, we identified six social–psychological barriers to the adoption of online shopping among older users (mean age of 73 years). These included barriers relating to perceived risks, trust, social support, familiarity, experience, and search. In Study 2, a laboratory experiment with older users (mean age of 69 years) demonstrated that embedding a virtual agent that serves search and navigational/procedural support functions in the online store leads to increased perceived social support, trust, and patronage intention for the online store. Mediational analyses further revealed that the effect of virtual agents: (1) on trust is mediated by perceived social support; and (2) on patronage intentions is mediated in part by trust and perceived risks. The study provides important implications on the design of virtual agents for older users of e-commerce applications, and on building online trust and e-service patronage through virtual agents.     

The effects of video on cognitive load and social presence in multimedia-learning

Two studies examined the use of video in multimedia learning environments. In Study 1, participants (N = 26) viewed one of two versions of a computer-based multimedia presentation: video, which included a video of a lecture with synchronized slides, or no video, which included the slides but only an audio narration of the lecture. Learning, cognitive load and social presence were assessed, but a significant difference was found only for cognitive load, with video experiencing greater cognitive load, t (24) = 2.45, p < .05. In Study 2, students (N = 25) were randomly assigned to either video or no video condition. Background knowledge and visual/verbal learning preference were assessed before viewing the presentation, and learning, cognitive load, and social presence were assessed after viewing. No significant differences were found for learning or social presence. However, a significant visual/verbal learning preference by condition interaction was found for cognitive load, F (1,21) = 4.51, p < .05: low visual-preference students experienced greater cognitive load in the video condition, while high visual-preference students experienced greater cognitive load in the no video condition.     

Proficiency and attitudes toward information technologies’ use in psychology undergraduates

In this study we had two aims: first, to evaluate the self-reported proficient use of data analysis and information technologies in psychology undergraduates. Second, to investigate the relationship between their proficiency level and attitude toward the technology’s use for academic, social and personal activities. Two hundred students were asked to answer two short Likert scales which shown a high internal consistency (proficiency α = 0.93; attitudes α = 0.88) and a coherent factorial structure. They also were required to answer a semantic differential scale (α = 86) of whose bipolar adjectives evaluated the technologies’ use in their learning–teaching process. A regression analysis showed that an efficient e-information searching and e-downloading strategies as well as considering the active vs passive use of the technology can together predict (R² = .754) the usage of complex technology and abilities.     

Students’ self-presentation on Facebook: An examination of personality and self-construal factors

The present research seeks to extend existing theory on self-disclosure to the online arena in higher educational institutions and contribute to the knowledge base and understanding about the use of a popular social networking site (SNS), Facebook, by college students. We conducted a non-experimental study to investigate how university students (N = 463) use Facebook, and examined the roles that personality and culture play in disclosure of information in online SNS-based environments. Results showed that individuals do disclose differently online vs. in-person, and that both culture and personality matter. Specifically, it was found that collectivistic individuals low on extraversion and interacting in an online environment disclosed the least honest and the most audience-relevant information, as compared to others. Exploratory analyses also indicate that students use sites such as Facebook primarily to maintain existing personal relationships and selectively used privacy settings to control their self-presentation on SNSs. The findings of this study offer insight into understanding college students’ self-disclosure on SNS, add to the literature on personality and self-disclosure, and shape future directions for research and practice on online self-presentation.     

Guiding knowledge communication in CSCL via group knowledge awareness

Computer-mediated collaboration is not in and of itself a beneficial setting for learning. Environments for computer-mediated collaboration need to trigger learning-productive interactions. In this paper, we propose to implement tools providing group knowledge awareness (GKA), i.e., information about collaborators’ knowledge. GKA is typically restricted in CSCL environments. A GKA tool visualizing self-assessed learner knowledge, their partner’s self-assessed knowledge, and thus the distribution of knowledge, was studied in a computer-mediated collaborative learning scenario. Thirty-eight dyads were randomly assigned to either the GKA condition (GKA tool) or a control condition (only learner’s own knowledge was visualized). Results show that the GKA tool guided learners in their collaboration and, more specifically, in designing their communicative acts. Depending on the self- vs. partner-oriented purpose of the communicative act, the learner’s own vs. the partner’s knowledge guided communication. Guided communication was a mechanism for perceived learning gains and perceived knowledge convergence. A knowledge test failed to reveal a significant difference between the GKA and the control condition. In this paper, we will discuss characteristics of GKA tools and their impact on collaboration.     

Fostering the determinants of knowledge sharing in professional virtual communities

Professional virtual communities (PVCs), which are formed on the Internet, are expected to serve the needs of members for communication, information, and knowledge sharing. The executives of organizations should consider PVCs as a new innovation or knowledge pool since members share knowledge. However, many PVCs have failed due to members’ low willingness to share knowledge with other members. Thus, there is a need to understand and foster the determinants of members’ knowledge sharing behavior in PVCs. This study develops an integrated model designed to investigate and explain the relationships between contextual factors, personal perceptions of knowledge sharing, knowledge sharing behavior, and community loyalty. Empirical data was collected from three PVCs and tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) to verify the fit of the hypothetical model. The results show that trust significantly influences knowledge sharing self-efficacy, perceived relative advantage and perceived compatibility, which in turn positively affect knowledge sharing behavior. Furthermore, the study finds that the norm of reciprocity does not significantly affect knowledge sharing behavior. The results of the study can be used to identify the motivation underlying individuals’ knowledge sharing behavior in PVCs. By investigating the impacts of contextual factors and personal perceptions on knowledge sharing behavior, the integrated model better explains behavior than other proposed models. This study might help executives of virtual communities and organizations to manage and promote these determinants of knowledge sharing to stimulate members’ willingness to share knowledge and enhance their virtual community loyalty. As only little empirical research has been conducted on the impact of knowledge sharing self-efficacy, perceived relative advantage, and perceived compatibility on the individual’s knowledge sharing behavior in PVCs, the empirical evidence reported here makes a valuable contribution in this highly important area.