Dealing with conflicting information from multiple nonlinear texts: Effects of prior attitudes

This study investigated the effects of prior attitudes on how students deal with conflicting information in multiple nonlinear texts. Sixty-one Dutch 11th grade students read multiple texts on a controversial topic and wrote a short essay on it. These essays were scored on perspective taken and the origin of information included in them. Ordinal regression analysis showed that students with strong prior attitudes were significantly more likely to write essays that were biased towards their prior attitudes. Furthermore, multiple regression analyses revealed that students with strong attitudes took explicit stances and added large proportions of information not presented in the reading materials in their essays, whereas students with neutral attitudes wrote syntheses and borrowed more information from the materials. Overall, results show that prior attitudes can bias how students deal with conflicting information in an open-ended reading and writing task.     

Factors influencing information distortion in online deliberations: The effects of informational characteristics and regulatory focus

The current study utilized regulatory focus theory to explain how online deliberations are processed differently depending on a participant’s information processing style and the characteristics of a discussion topic. An experiment was conducted to investigate the relationship between informational characteristics (hedonic vs. utilitarian) and attitude change toward information, as well as the moderating effect of regulatory focus (promotion vs. prevention). Results from 207 students indicated that promotion-focused participants were more likely to change their attitude toward information than prevention-focused participants during online deliberations. Furthermore, when presented with hedonic information, attitude changes toward information were stronger for promotion-focused participants as compared to prevention-focused participants. However, when presented with utilitarian information, attitude changes were stronger for prevention-focused participants. The present findings enable researchers and practitioners to understand the interactive influence of informational characteristics and regulatory foci of participants during online deliberations, as well as influence participants’ biased information processing.     

The intention–behaviour gap in technology usage: the moderating role of attitude strength

Extant theories of information technology (IT) usage present users' behavioural intention as the primary predictor of their IT usage behaviour. However, empirical evidence reveals only a low-to-medium effect size for this association. We call this inconsistency the ‘intention–behaviour gap’, and argue that a clearer understanding of this gap requires a deeper theoretical examination of the conditions under which intentions may or may not influence behaviour. Drawing on recent attitude theoretic research in social psychology, we distinguish between two types of attitudes – strong versus weak – and suggest that the intention–behaviour association may hold for users with strong attitudes but is likely to be weaker for those with weak attitudes. Using the elaboration-likelihood model, we propose two dimensions of attitude strength relevant to the IT usage context – personal relevance and related expertise – and theorise them to moderate the intention–behaviour association in a positive manner. Results from a longitudinal field survey of document management system usage among governmental employees at L'viv City Hall, Ukraine support our theoretical hypotheses. Theoretical and practical implications of our findings are discussed.     

Website task performance by older adults

The present study examined influences of fluid intelligence and website experience on a website task by 99 community-dwelling older adults (41 males, 58 females, age range 58 - 90 years) who were screened for visual acuity and major health problems. They were divided into three groups, dependent on their prior website experience (19 with no prior website experience, 55 with low website experience and 25 with high website experience). Perpendicular to this, the participants were divided into low- and high-fluid intelligence groups and into young - old and old - old age groups. Participants performed a website information retrieval task using three health information websites. Performance was assessed by the time taken to retrieve target information. Overall, the three websites significantly differed in the time taken to locate the target information. The website task performance was not significantly influenced by fluid intelligence score or age, but there was a significant influence by prior website experience.     

Confirmation Bias in Online Searches: Impacts of Selective Exposure Before an Election on Political Attitude Strength and Shifts

Impacts of Internet use on political information seeking and subsequent processes have been subject to much debate. A 2‐session online field study presented online search results on political topics to examine selective exposure and its attitudinal impacts. Session 1 captured attitudes, including their accessibility. Session 2 tracked what online search results participants selected and how long they read them; participants then reported attitudes again. The study represented a 4x8x2x2 within‐subjects design: 4 topics, 8 browsing intervals each, with articles presenting opposing stances, with low versus high source credibility. Attitude‐consistent messages and messages from high‐credibility sources were preferred. Exposure to attitude‐consistent search results increased attitude accessibility and reinforced attitudes, whereas exposure to attitude‐discrepant content had opposite effects, regardless of messages' source credibility.     

Processing privacy information and decision-making for smartphone apps among young German smartphone users

While privacy behaviour is generally equated with self-disclosure, other forms of behaviour that potentially infringe an individual’s privacy, such as downloading an app, are being neglected by research. We seek to fill this gap by modelling app decision-making within a dual-process model of the attitude–behaviour relationship and the role of privacy attitudes in two kinds of information processing: (1) spontaneous, heuristic processes that rely on automated attitude activation and (2) elaborate, cognitive processes that rely on behavioural intentions to guide behaviour. We used a quasi-experimental design to investigate app decision-making processes for N?=?89 participants in N?=?254 decision-making cases. Participants were asked to provide information on their actions after downloading three apps on their smartphones over a 2-week period. We could identify two distinct types of information processing and found support for attitude activation and, to a lesser degree, intentions as requirements for the influence of privacy attitudes on app decision-making.     

Some like it lots: The influence of interactivity and reliance on credibility

This study has four primary purposes: to investigate the level of interactivity with 15 sources of political information, determine the degree of reliance on each of the sources, assess perceptions of credibility, and compare the strength of interactivity to the strength of reliance on judgments of credibility. This study includes sources that have received little attention in the credibility literature such as social network sites, Twitter, and mobile device applications. Respondents interact with and rely on the sources moderately. Credibility ratings range from moderate to highly credible. Reliance predicts credibility of 14 of 15 sources as compared to interactivity that predicts credibility of just 9 of 15 sources. Interactivity with sources that are inherently collaborative (e.g. Twitter, social media, talk radio) more strongly predicts credibility than interactivity with sources that are more source-to-user based (e.g. CNN, political websites).     

Epistemic evaluation and comprehension of web-source information on controversial science-related topics: Effects of a short-term instructional intervention

This study examines the effectiveness of a short-term instructional intervention in the school context. The aim was to provide students with essential declarative knowledge on what to consider when evaluating the authoritativeness of Web sources, and the accuracy of their information. It also provided the opportunity to apply this declarative knowledge in a basic inquiry task on the controversial topic of the possible harm caused by mobile phones. Participants were 134 ninth graders, randomly assigned to the instruction or no-instruction condition. In both conditions the same multiple Internet sources, varying for authoritativeness and stance, were given for the basic and transfer (about GM food) inquiry tasks. Findings reveal that learners in the instruction condition outperformed the others in both the inquiry task of the instructional context and, more importantly, in the transfer inquiry task. These learners showed more appropriate navigation behavior and greater source evaluation, as well as better surface and deeper comprehension of the accessed information on GM food. In addition, prior knowledge moderated the latter. Theoretical and practical significance of the study is outlined.     

Computer anxiety and attitudes towards microcomputer use

Survey data gathered from 187 participants were used to examine the relationship between demographic variables, computer training and experience, management support and system quality and computer anxiety, and attitudes toward microcomputers. Results of hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that the quality of the computer-based information system which represents the interface and the interaction between the participants and the system has a strong positive effect on attitudes toward microcomputers, and a significant reduction on computer anxiety. Computer training contributes strongly to decrease in computer anxiety and has an indirect effect on attitudes toward microcomputers. However, computer experience and management support were found to affect the attitudes toward microcomputers directly. Among the demographic variables, gender was the only one which correlated highly with computer anxiety. Implications for the design of information and decision support systems and future research are discussed.     

Preventing problematic Internet use through video-based interventions: a theoretical model and empirical test

This study relies on the core ideas of the health belief model and suggests that short informational videos on Internet ‘addiction’ can be an effective means towards preventing problematic use of the Internet through their ability to drive changes in viewers’ attitudes towards reducing their Internet use. Building on the heuristic-systematic model of information processing viewpoint, it is further suggested that this attitude change is guided by the information the videos provide, as well as the surprise emotion they generate. To test this model, data were collected at three points in time from 223 participants who were exposed to one of two video interventions. Partial least-square analyses indicated that the videos were efficacious in improving viewers’ attitudes towards reducing their Internet use, after accounting for viewers’ preexisting attitudes, levels of Internet ‘addiction’, demographics and social desirability bias. Consistent with the heuristic-systematic model of information-processing perspective this effect was mobilised simultaneously through the information and surprise induced by the videos.     

The relationship of attitudes to computer utilization: New evidence from a developing nation

The attitudes of students toward computers are significant determinants of behavior that may influence computer utilization. In this paper, a survey was conducted to study the relationship between attitudes and computer utilization of 238 students. The article also examined whether or not computer utilization was affected by some demographic (e.g., age) and other non-attitudinal variables. The findings indicated that the overall attitude did affect computer utilization. The part of attitude scale that presented the strongest predictor of utilization was computer liking followed by confidence. Anxiety and perceived usefulness were found to be insignificant determinants of computer utilization. In addition to attitude, other variables appeared to have a strong influence on computer utilization, namely the degree of computer experience, the degree of access to computers, and the number of computer-related courses taken by survey participants.     

基于爬虫和网站分类的主题信息源发现方法

如何发现主题信息源是主题Web信息整合的前提。提出了一种主题信息源发现方法,将主题信息源发现转化为网站主题分类问题,并利用站外链接发现新的信息源。从网站中提取出能反映网站主题的内容特征词和结构特征词,建立描述网站主题的改进的向量空间模型。以该模型为基础,通过类中心向量法与SVM相结合对网站主题进行分类。提出一种能尽量少爬取网页的网络搜索策略,在发现站外链接的同时爬取最能代表网站主题的页面。将该主题信息源发现方法应用于林业商务信息源,通过实验验证了该方法的有效性。     

Visual complexity of websites: Effects on users’ experience, physiology, performance, and memory

Visual complexity is an apparent feature in website design yet its effects on cognitive and emotional processing are not well understood. The current study examined website complexity within the framework of aesthetic theory and psychophysiological research on cognition and emotion. We hypothesized that increasing the complexity of websites would have a detrimental cognitive and emotional impact on users. In a passive viewing task (PVT) 36 website screenshots differing in their degree of complexity (operationalized by JPEG file size; correlation with complexity ratings in a preliminary study r=.80) were presented to 48 participants in randomized order. Additionally, a standardized visual search task (VST) assessing reaction times, and a one-week-delayed recognition task on these websites were conducted and participants rated all websites for arousal and valence. Psychophysiological responses were assessed during the PVT and VST. Visual complexity was related to increased experienced arousal, more negative valence appraisal, decreased heart rate, and increased facial muscle tension (musculus corrugator). Visual complexity resulted in increased reaction times in the VST and decreased recognition rates. Reaction times in the VST were related to increases in heart rate and electrodermal activity. These findings demonstrate that visual complexity of websites has multiple effects on human cognition and emotion, including experienced pleasure and arousal, facial expression, autonomic nervous system activation, task performance, and memory. It should thus be considered an important factor in website design.     

Health information-seeking and perceptions of website credibility: Examining Web-use orientation,message characteristics,and structural features of websites

The study reported here examined perceptions of health website credibility during the process of acquiring health information using the World Wide Web. The relationships between perceptions of website credibility and both message characteristics (e.g., statistics, testimonials) and structural features of health websites (e.g., privacy policy statement, third-party endorsements) were assessed. Additionally, one’s Web-use orientation (i.e., searching or surfing) was evaluated as a moderator of the preceding relationships. The results showed a positive relationship between the presence of structural features and perceptions of website credibility as well as a positive relationship between the presence of message characteristics and attitudes about the health topic. Although Web-use orientation moderated the relationship between message characteristics and perceptions of website credibility, the nature of this relationship was inconsistent with study predictions.     

话题识别与跟踪研究

作为自然语言处理一个新的研究方向,话题识别与跟踪旨在发展一系列基于事件的信息组织技术,以实现对新闻媒体信息流中新话题的自动识别以及对已知话题的动态跟踪。自1997年以来连续举行的多次大规模评测使得话题识别与跟踪研究正逐步成为近来自然语言处理尤其是信息检索领域的一个研究热点,目前国内在这方面的研究尚处在起步阶段。该文介绍了话题识别与跟踪研究的发展历史、研究任务、主要技术及评价方法等,希望能引起相关研究者对这项研究的关注。     

How perceived cognitive needs fulfillment affect consumer attitudes toward the customized product: The moderating role of consumer knowledge

Voluntary participation in adaptive customization (AC) entails consumers’ own mental engagement that evokes perceptions of cognitive needs fulfillment (CNF). This study examined the effect of CNF perceived during the process of AC services on felt emotions and consumer attitudes toward the customized product, and the moderation role of consumer knowledge. A total of 327 Americans participated in an online survey after experiencing AC services at 3 actual retail websites. The results revealed the following: (a) Perceived CNF (competence and autonomy) increased positive felt emotions (pleasure and arousal); (b) out of the two emotions, felt pleasure (not arousal) significantly contributed to positive consumer attitudes toward the customized product; (c) subjective levels of consumer knowledge showed a partial moderating effect in the relationships between CNF and felt emotions, (d) but did not do so in the relationships between felt emotions and consumer attitudes toward the customized product.     

基于重力场自适应互补滤波的无人直升机水平姿态估计方法

无人直升机姿态平衡仪能自主识别飞机水平姿态并自动进行姿态增稳,可大大降低无人直升机手动遥控的难度.针对姿态平衡仪的低成本要求和应用环境高机动性特点,提出了一种基于重力场自适应互补滤波的水平姿态估计方法.该方法用陀螺仪和加速度计输出进行互补滤波来估计可解算水平姿态的重力场,并自适应调整滤波器增益以减小运动加速度对重力测量的影响.实验证明,该方法测量精度高,易于单片机实现,可以满足姿态平衡仪的应用要求.     

互联网上主题信息的一种收集与处理模型及其应用

互联网上的信息是社会状况的一种反映,可以被人们从多种不同的角度来关心,而有了计算机作为工具,这种“关心”的深度和广度就能够大大地拓展,提出一种模型,基于它实现的一套程序和过程能够针对人们关心的热点主题,系统地对网上的信息进行收集和分析,从不同的角度和层次得出互联网对该主题报道的强度,对社会科学类研究具有一定的参考价值,利用这个模型(和相应的系统),以2002年11月8日为中心,以“十六大”为主题,前后分别扩展半个月,对中国互联网上的信息进行了跟踪研究,得出了在这些天里和“十六大”相关信息占总信息量的7．3％;从2002年11月2日开始,“十六大”相关信息量逐日递增,在2002年11月20日达到最高等结论。     

Dealing with multiple documents on the WWW: The role of metacognition in the formation of documents models

Drawing on the theory of documents representation (Perfetti et al., Toward a theory of documents representation. In: H. v. Oostendorp & S. R. Goldman (Eds.), The construction of mental representations during reading. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 1999), we argue that successfully dealing with multiple documents on the World Wide Web requires readers to form documents models; that is, to form a representation of contents and sources. We present a study in which we tested the assumption that the use of metacognitive strategies is crucial to the formation of documents models. A total of 100 participants with little medical knowledge were asked to conduct an Internet research on a medical topic. Participants were randomly assigned to four experimental groups that received different types of metacognitive prompts: participants either received evaluation prompts, monitoring prompts, both types of prompts, or no prompts. A control group took paper-and-pencil notes. Results showed that laypersons receiving evaluation prompts outperformed controls in terms of knowledge about sources and produced more arguments relating to the source of information when justifying credibility judgments. However, laypersons receiving evaluation prompts were not better able to indicate the source of information after Internet research than controls. In addition, laypersons receiving monitoring prompts acquired significantly more knowledge about facts, and performed slightly better on a comprehension test. It is concluded that the results underline the importance of metacognition in dealing with multiple documents.     

Unplugged: Exploring the costs and benefits of constant connection

Computer-mediated-communication (CMC) is a ubiquitous part of people’s lives, yet little research has investigated attitudes about unplugging, also known as media refusal. In this large-scale lifespan study we surveyed 446 participants ages 14–79 about their feelings and attitudes toward unplugging from CMC for 24 h. We also probed their actual recent experiences of unplugging. We were particularly interested in age differences. As predicted, younger people reported more negative feelings about unplugging, and people who reported higher scores on a loneliness survey also expressed more negative feelings. However, contrary to our hypothesis, there were no significant age differences in the length of time participants typically spent unplugged. Open-ended responses revealed that participants felt a mix of emotions about unplugging from CMC and were ambivalent about its use for connection; “connecting with family and friends” was listed as both a loss and a gain of unplugging. In addition, prior experience unplugging predicted less anxiety about a future anticipated unplugging experience. We discuss age-related themes that emerged about costs and benefits to unplugging, anticipated unplugging activities, reasons for unplugging, and the inherent complexity of retreating from the web of digital technology and its pull of readily available community, connection, and information.