Cyberbullying in social networking sites: An adolescent victim’s perspective

Online social networking sites (SNS) are a ubiquitous platform for communication. However, SNS can provide opportunities for abuse and harassment, typically referred to as cyberbullying. The current study examined adolescent victims’ understanding of cyberbullying, the specific types of cyberbullying events experienced in SNS and the impact of these events. Twenty-five adolescents (15–24 years old) who responded to an invitation for participants with previous negative experiences in SNS took part in individual semi-structured interviews. Results showed that the basic criteria for the definition of cyberbullying published in previous research were either not referenced by participants, or they were more complex than initially anticipated. The most referenced criterion was the extent to which the experience had an impact on the victim, which is not a current definitional criterion. It was also found that 68% of victims reported experiencing a combined emotional, social and behavioural impact for each cyberbullying experience, and 12% reported no impact at all. These findings will contribute to the measurement of cyberbullying from the perspective of victims, and will also aid the development of intervention strategies based on the most common impact areas.     

Determinants of users’ continuance of social networking sites: A self-regulation perspective

Social networking sites (SNS) have transformed how individuals interact, build and maintain social relationships. We proposed a research model on the determinants of user continuance using Bagozzi's framework of self-regulation as the theoretical foundation. Following the process of appraisal → emotional reactions → coping responses, we developed the model by leveraging findings from social presence and IS continuance research. Based on survey data from Facebook users, we found that appraisal factors (pleasure, awareness, connectedness, and system quality) were strong determinants of emotional reaction (user satisfaction and sense of belonging). User satisfaction and sense of belonging together positively influenced continuance intention.     

College student cyberbullying on social networking sites: Conceptualization,prevalence, and perceived bystander responsibility

The majority of research on cyberbullying has been conducted with middle school and high school students and has not focused on specific technology platforms. The current study investigated college student experiences with cyberbullying on Social Networking Sites (SNS). College students (N = 196) from a northwestern university shared their conceptualizations of what cyberbullying looked like on SNS. Some college students (19%) reported that they had been bullied on SNS and 46% indicating that they had witnessed cyberbullying on SNS. The majority (61%) of college students who witnessed cyberbullying on SNS did nothing to intervene. College students were also asked about their perceived responsibility when they witnessed cyberbullying on SNS. Two diverging themes emerged that indicated some college students believed their responsibility to intervene was circumstantial, while others believed there is a constant clear level of responsibility for college student cyberbullying bystanders on SNS.     

Unveiling the dark side of social networking sites: Personal and work-related consequences of social networking site addiction

Although previous research has explored the effects of social networking site (SNS) use in organizations, researchers have focused little on its negative consequences. This article attempts to fill this void by examining, through the lens of social cognitive theory, the extent SNS addiction impacts personal and work environments. The results, based on 276 questionnaires completed by employees in a large information technology corporation, show that addiction to SNSs has negative consequences on the personal and work environments. SNS addiction reduces positive emotions that augment performance and enhance health. SNS addiction fosters task distraction, which inhibits performance. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

The role of self-construal in consumers’ electronic word of mouth (eWOM) in social networking sites: A social cognitive approach

The current study reconceptualized self-construal as a social cognitive indicator of self-observation that individuals employ for developing and maintaining social relationship with others. From the social cognitive perspective, this study investigated how consumers’ self-construal can affect consumers’ electronic word of mouth (eWOM) behavior through two cognitive factors (online community engagement self-efficacy and social outcome expectations) in the context of a social networking site. This study conducted an online experiment that directed 160 participants to visit a newly created online community. The results demonstrated that consumers’ relational view became salient when the consumers’ self-construal was primed to be interdependent rather than independent. Further, the results showed that such interdependent self-construal positively influenced consumers’ eWOM behavioral intentions through their community engagement self-efficacy and their social outcome expectations.     

Self-reflection on privacy research in social networking sites

The increasing popularity of social networking sites has been a source of many privacy concerns. To mitigate these concerns and empower users, different forms of educational and technological solutions have been developed. Developing and evaluating such solutions, however, cannot be considered a neutral process. Instead, it is socially bound and interwoven with norms and values of the researchers. In this contribution, we aim to make the research process and development of privacy solutions more transparent by highlighting questions that should be considered. (1) Which actors are involved in formulating the privacy problem? (2) Is privacy perceived as a human right or as a property right on one’s data? (3) Is informing users of privacy dangers always a good thing? (4) Do we want to influence users’ attitudes and behaviours? (5) Who is the target audience? We argue that these questions can help researchers to better comprehend their own perspective on privacy, that of others, and the influence of the solutions they are developing. In the discussion, we propose a procedure called ‘tool clinics’ for further practical implementations.     

Feminist HCI meets facebook: Performativity and social networking sites

In this paper, I reflect on a specific product of interaction design, social networking sites. The goals of this paper are twofold. One is to bring a feminist reflexivity, to HCI, drawing on the work of Judith Butler and her concepts of peformativity, citationality, and interpellation. Her approach is, I argue, highly relevant to issues of identity and self-representation on social networking sites; and to the co-constitution of the subject and technology. A critical, feminist HCI must ask how social media and other HCI institutions, practices, and discourses are part of the processes by which sociotechnical configurations are constructed. My second goal is to examine the implications of such an approach by applying it to social networking sites (SNSs) drawing the empirical research literature on SNSs, to show how SNS structures and policies help shape the subject and hide the contingency of subject categories.     

A literature review of electronic marketplace research: Themes, theories and an integrative framework

In this paper, we presented a literature review of the current status of electronic marketplace (EM) research. It consists of 109 journal articles published in 19 journals that are appropriate outlets for electronic commerce research. The results show that an increasing volume of EM research has been conducted from diverse theoretical perspectives. Based on content analysis, we identified eight research themes, five types of methodologies and six categories of background theories which most EM researches were grounded in. By combining research themes and the patterns of the background theories, an integrative framework of EM was proposed to represent the paradigms of EM researches. The framework shows that EM phenomena can be addressed from three perspectives: information systems, inter-organizational/social structure and strategic management perspectives. This framework suggests a parsimonious and cohesive way to explain key EM research issues such as EM adoption, success and impact.

Glancing up or down: Mood management and selective social comparisons on social networking sites

Social networking sites (SNS) provide opportunities for mood management through selective exposure. This study tested the prediction that negative mood fosters self-enhancing social comparisons to SNS profiles. Participants were induced into positive or negative moods and then browsed manipulated profiles on an experimental SNS. Profiles varied in a 2 × 2 within-subjects design along two dimensions, ratings of career success and attractiveness, allowing for upward comparisons (high ratings) and downward comparisons (low ratings). Selective exposure was measured in seconds spent viewing profiles. Negative mood led to less exposure to upward comparisons and more to downward comparisons than positive mood. The comparison dimension did not influence selective exposure. Thus, in a negative mood, SNS users prefer self-enhancing social comparisons to manage their mood.     

Understanding social networking sites adoption in China: A comparison of pre-adoption and post-adoption

Prior experience is an important determinant factor of individual behavior. This paper developed a theoretical model to predict the adoption intention of pre-adopters and post-adopters on social networking sites based on the theory of planned behavior. Using data from online surveys of netizens in China, the proposed model was tested in the context of pre-adoption and post-adoption by using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) technique. Then, multi-groups analysis was explored to compare the difference between the two groups. The results show that attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavior control have significant effect on the adoption intention of pre-adopters and post-adopters, and there is no significant difference between the two groups. In addition, information, meeting new people, and conformity motivations have the same significant effect on both groups. However, entertainment motivation has a significant effect on pre-adopters but connecting with old friends has none; in contrast, connecting with old friends has significant effect on post-adopters while entertainment motivation has no significant effect.     

The dark side of social networking sites:Understanding phishing risks

LinkedIn, with over 1.5 million Groups, has become a popular place for business employees to create private groups to exchange information and communicate. Recent research on social networking sites (SNSs) has widely explored the phenomenon and its positive effects on firms. However, social networking's negative effects on information security were not adequately addressed. Supported by the credibility, persuasion and motivation theories, we conducted 1) a field experiment, demonstrating how sensitive organizational data can be exploited, followed by 2) a qualitative study of employees engaged in SNSs activities; and 3) interviews with Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs). Our research has resulted in four main findings: 1) employees are easily deceived and susceptible to victimization on SNSs where contextual elements provide psychological triggers to attackers; 2) organizations lack mechanisms to control SNS online security threats, 3) companies need to strengthen their information security policies related to SNSs, where stronger employee identification and authentication is needed, and 4) SNSs have become important security holes where, with the use of social engineering techniques, malicious attacks are easily facilitated.     

Determinants of negative word-of-mouth communication using social networking sites

At present, as customers often turn to social media platforms to share their service experience, this study aims to examine the determinants of their negative word-of-mouth communication using social networking sites following a service failure. Although many studies have examined the electronic word-of-mouth communication, studies on negative word-of-mouth communication using social media platforms remain sparse. Building on the cognitive dissonance theory and social support theory, this study proposes and empirically examines the role of contextual, individual and social networking factors in determining the customers’ intentions to engage in negative word-of-mouth communication using social networking sites. Self-reported retrospective survey was used to obtain responses from 206 online shoppers. The results of the structural equation modelling showed that feeling of injustice, firm attribution, firm image, face concern, reappraisal, use intensity and tie strength are key antecedents of negative word-of-mouth communication. The findings provide valuable insights for managers in developing effective Webcare interventions for negative word-of-mouth communication on social networking sites.     

The role of attachment style in building social capital from a social networking site: The interplay of anxiety and avoidance

Drawing on attachment theory, the present study examines the attachment styles of individuals relative to two ways of building social capital – bonding social capital and bridging social capital. In trying to relate attachment theory to the use of SNS, the present study argues that bonding social capital is reflected in the use of SNS for forming attachment bonds from trust-based strong ties, while bridging social capital is reflected in the use of SNS for causal affiliations among more socially distant people. The conceptual model was validated through an online survey completed by 368 Facebook users. Two hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated several results. First, avoidance attachment was significant and negatively predictive of both bonding social and bridging social capital. Second, both bonding social capital and bridging social capital reported by respondents appeared to be greatest under conditions of low anxiety attachment coupled with low avoidance attachment. Third, levels of Facebook usage were significant and independently predictive of bridging social capital.     

Use of social networking sites for product communication: A comparative study of Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites

This study extends the uses and gratification theory and examines SNS use in a specific context, namely product communication, among Hispanic and non-Hispanic whites, two important consumer segments in the U.S. market. It tests the relationships between motivations, attitudes, and usage outcomes that are unique to SNSs in an integrative model. Structural equation modeling analysis of the results obtained from an Internet-based survey (N = 595) demonstrates that the information motivation predicts favorable attitudes and various usage outcomes in both groups. However, the motivation to socialize positively predicts attitudes and usage outcomes among Hispanics only, while the entertainment motivation emerges as a determining factor for whites only. Results from this study provide theoretical and managerial implications for the development of effective marketing communication in the area of social networking sites.     

Barriers to the adoption of social networking sites in Saudi Arabia's higher education

ABSTRACT

Social networking sites are increasingly being repurposed as academic tools in higher education institutions. In this context, social networking sites are used to support a number of key academic functions, including the sharing of ideas between students and academic staff, the forming of dedicated study groups, the exchange of links and other academic objects and self-publication. While these tools are readily being adopted in mainstream Western contexts, little is currently known regarding whether – and how – social networking sites are used in other geo-cultural regions. This study sought to redress this research gap by investigating what might constitute barriers to the adoption of social networking in higher education in Saudi Arabia from the students’ perspective. The study was based on the analysis of results derived from focus group discussions with university students at four Saudi Arabian universities. The research found that Saudi Arabian students are aware of, and welcome, social networking sites and are starting to use them for academic purposes in the same way that university students do in more mainstream contexts. However, the study did identify a range of barriers to uptake as highlighted by focus group participants.     

How behaviors on social network sites and online social capital influence social commerce intentions

Following the fast growth of social network sites (SNSs) such as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook in the cyber world, social commerce has become an important emerging issue in these SNS. The study aims to comprehend the antecedents for SNS users’ social commerce intentions (SCI). This study applied SNS behavior and social capital theory to investigate how these factors influence SCI. Each of the three constructs was further decomposed into two first-order constructs, participating and browsing for SNS behavior, bonding and bridging social capital for social capital, and giving and receiving for SCI. The results, which were based on 970 effective samples of Facebook users, supported several findings. Both SNS behavior and social capital affect SCI, while the relationship between SNS behavior and SCI is partially mediated by the bonding and bridging social capital. In addition, browsing and participating behaviors have significantly positive relationships with bonding and bridging social capitals, respectively. All of the relationships between first-order constructs tested significant, with the single exception that browsing of SNS behavior did not lead to the giving of SCI. This study also applied post hoc analysis for better understanding SCI on SNSs. The results showed that browsing of SNS behavior has a stronger impact than participating of SNS behavior on either bonding or bridging social capital. In addition, bridging social capital has a stronger influence than bonding social capital on the giving intention of social commerce. Theoretical contributions and managerial implications are also discussed to provide several future research directions and suggestions for scholars and SNS operators, respectively.     

Responses to ambivalence toward social networking sites: A typological perspective

A common assumption in prior research on social networking sites (SNS) has been that users' orientations toward SNS use are positioned somewhere along a bipolar, univalent continuum, stretching from negative to positive orientation. However, considering recent findings unfolding the intricacy and variety of SNS use patterns, such a linear conceptualization of users' orientations is too simplistic with limited ability to explain the intricate patterns of SNS use. To alleviate this deficiency in this paper, we draw on the ambivalence literature and explain that users can simultaneously experience both positive and negative orientations toward SNS use based on the positive and negative aspects of their SNS use experience. Focusing on post- adoptive SNS use context, we theorise archetypes of SNS users' attitudinal responses to ambivalence, and their associated behavioural outcomes in terms of SNS use patterns. We first follow a typological perspective and develop typologies of attitudinal and behavioural responses to ambivalence toward SNS use. Then, we offer six hypotheses that explain the relations between the archetypes of attitudinal responses to ambivalence toward SNS use and users' SNS use patterns. Lastly, we empirically test our hypotheses using latent profile analysis and ANCOVA applied to two-wave data collected from 370 ambivalent SNS users. The findings support the hypotheses and validate our typologies. The findings ultimately point to likely choices from a range of post-adoption SNS use patterns as plausible outcomes of SNS users' attitudinal responses to ambivalence.     

Behavioral intention in social networking sites ethical dilemmas: An extended model based on Theory of Planned Behavior

The expanding use of social networking sites (SNSs) and their flexible functionalities allow individuals to use these sites in unexpected and unethical ways. SNS users face ethical dilemmas each day and they need to decide how to behave in these cases. The aim of this study was to identify the influential factors that have an impact on individuals' ethical decision-making and propose a model of the factors that are significant in the ethical decision-making process in the SNS context. This study employed the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and included personal normative beliefs, moral intensity, perceived threat of legal punishment to the main constructs of TPB namely attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control to predict the behavioral intention using a scenario based questionnaire. The moderating effects of several factors, including age, gender, level of income, ego strength, locus of control and religion, were investigated for the probable effect on the proposed model. Derived from a designed procedure, several scenarios were constructed, of which four were selected to be embedded in the survey instrument. With 441 returned questionnaires in hand, the collected data were analyzed using the partial least squares–structural equation modeling technique. The results showed attitude to be the most influential factor, followed by subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, personal normative beliefs, and moral intensity. Level of education, age, and scenario also showed a significant effect on the relation between predictors and behavioral intention.     

Delineating the dimensions of social support on social networking sites and their effects: A comparative model

Social networking sites (SNSs) allow users to connect with each other by overcoming geographical and temporal boundaries and thus empower people to search for social support from online. Social support has been considered a key social value that online users can obtain from SNSs. However, few studies have systematically investigated social support in such a context. Motivated to address this gap, we have developed an advanced and theoretical framework to delineate social support on SNSs by clearly revealing the dimensions of online social support on SNSs and examining their effects on users' commitment and SNS continuance. Further, we introduce gender as a key moderator and explain in theory how differently men and women perceive the importance of the dimensions in evaluating online social support over SNSs. Our research results indicate that the identified three dimensions (informational support, emotional support, and network management) are important components of the online social support on SNSs, which is positively associated with commitment and continuance. In addition, the weight of each dimension in the evaluation of online social support varies by gender. This study is among the very first to explore online social support in the context of SNS and its effects, and has rich theoretical and practical implications.     

Community building among deaf and hard of hearing people by using written language on social networking sites

Since D/deaf and hard-of-hearing users of social networking sites (SNSs) may have communication specificities in comparison to hearing people, we proposed a model for understanding what factors affect building online communities. The model includes written language skills, the frequency of written communication, online Deaf and hearing identity, and the tendency for community building. One-hundred-and-sixty-two German D/deaf and hard-of-hearing users completed an online questionnaire in German sign and written language. Evaluation of the model with structural equation modelling revealed three main findings. Firstly, identification with the hearing online world has a positive effect on written language skills, the frequency of written communication on SNSs and indirectly on the tendency to build online communities. Secondly, the frequency of written communication has a positive effect on the tendency to build community. Thirdly, a positive effect of online Deaf identity on the frequency of written communication was found. Our findings may aid in understanding that, despite possible technological constraints, both D/deaf and hard-of-hearing people communicate on SNSs in written language more frequently due to their identification either with the Deaf or hearing online world which results in an increased tendency to build online communities.