Teenagers in social virtual worlds: Continuous use and purchasing behavior in Habbo Hotel

Social virtual worlds (SVWs) have become important environments for social interaction. At the same time, the supply and demand of virtual goods and services is rapidly increasing. For SVWs to be economically sustainable, retaining existing users and turning them into consumers are paramount challenges. This requires an understanding of the underlying reasons why users continuously engage in SVWs and purchase virtual items. This study builds upon Technology Acceptance Model, motivational model and theory of network externalities to examine continuous usage and purchase intention and it empirically tests the model with data collected from 2481 Habbo users. The results reveal a strong relationship between continuous usage and purchasing. Further, the results demonstrate the importance of the presence of other users in predicting the purchase behavior in the SVW. Continuous SVW usage in turn is predicted directly by perceived enjoyment and usefulness while the effect of attitude is marginal. Finally, perceived network externalities exert a significant influence of perceived enjoyment and usefulness of the SVW but do not have a direct effect on the continuous usage.     

How to keep members using the information in a computer-supported social network

Computer-supported social networks have become a significant channel for people to interact and exchange information. The success of computer-supported social networks depends on the extent to which members will stay and continue participating. Many computer-supported social networks however suffer from the problem of retaining members. Drawing from theories of user satisfaction and information adoption, we develop a model to examine how computer-supported social networks encourage members to continue participating and using the information in the network. The theoretical model is validated through an online survey of 240 users of a Bulletin Board System established by a local university in China. The results reveal that individuals will continue to use the information in a computer-supported social network when they are satisfied with their prior usage, and when they perceive that the information in the network is useful. The results also suggest that individuals’ perceived information usefulness and satisfaction are determined by information quality and source credibility in the context of computer-supported social networks. Theoretical and practical implications about computer-supported social networks are discussed.     

An experimental evaluation of abbreviation schemes in limited lexicons

Abstract

Five abbreviation schemes (simple truncation, vowel drop, minimum to distinguish, phonics and user denned) were analysed for learning, encoding and decoding. Forty subjects were each tested on two schemes, using two different 20 word lexicons. Simple truncation was the easiest to learn, based upon a trials to criteria experiment. Using a modified tachistoscopic display, simple truncation was the best for encodability. Either vowel drop or phonics was the best scheme for decoding. It appears that information content is important in decoding, but not in encoding.     

Exploring factors of media characteristic influencing flow in learning through virtual worlds

This study aims to find out factors of media characteristic which are considered to influence flow in learning through virtual worlds. One hundred ninety eight elementary students who are eleven to twelve years old participated in this study. After the exploratory factor analysis, to extract media characteristics of virtual worlds, seventy-eight elementary students who are eleven years old were used in the analysis of exploring relationships between factors influencing flow.     

面向不确定图的k最近邻查询

生物网络、社会网络、交际网络等复杂的网络被广泛的研究,由于数据抽出时引入的噪声和错误使这些数据具有不确定性,因此可以对这些应用使用不确定图模型建模,k最近邻查询问题是查询一个图上的距离某个特定点最近的k个邻居节点的问题,它是不确定图上的一个基础问题.设计了一个解决不确定图上最近邻问题的框架,首先定义了一种新颖的不确定图上的k最近邻查询,然后提出了针对该查询的一般处理算法,同时对该算法进行了优化,使算法效率得到极大提高.理论分析和实验结果表明提出的算法能够高效地处理不确定图上的k最近邻查询.     

Predicting Asian undergraduates’ intention to continue using social network services from negative perspectives

With the maturity of the social network service (SNS) market, the increasing sophistication of its customer or user base, and the growing intensity of competition, SNS success has now become a pressing issue. Understanding the antecedents of continuance intention is the first step to assure the success of an SNS. This study proposed a model to examine the key drivers of users’ intention to continue using SNSs from negative standpoints. The developed research model was empirically validated using the responses from a field survey of 236 Asian undergraduates. The results revealed that normative pressure and fatigue are the main determinants of the users’ intention to continue using SNSs. Moreover, the findings showed that satisfaction is a major determinant of fatigue, whereas negative critical incidents are crucial predictors of satisfaction. The negative critical incidents experienced when undergraduates use services include rumour dissemination, advertising interference, and low ease of use. The implications of the present findings for research and managerial practice were analysed and discussed.     

Understanding determinants of information systems users’ behaviour: a comparison of two models in the context of integrated accounting and budgeting software

This study examines determinants that affect the behaviour of information systems (IS) users, and influence of the users’ decisions to continue using IS by two models: the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the expectation-confirmation model of IS continuance (ECM-IS). The behaviour of professionals who utilise complex software solutions for performing their working tasks has been in the focus of this research. Based on data gathered from questionnaires filled-out by users of the integrated accounting and budgeting software (IABS), the confirmatory factor analysis has shown that both models demonstrate good factor, convergence and discriminatory validity, respectively. The comparison of the obtained results has been performed, and it shows that ECM-IS has a larger explanatory power (R²) over TAM, explaining 49% of the dependent variable (IS continuance intention) in relation to 29%. The IS continuance intention is determined by the users’ satisfaction and perceived usefulness. The user satisfaction is influenced by perceived usefulness and confirmation. The confirmation of the user's expectations has had a positive influence on perceived usefulness. The perceived ease of use has not exerted a significant influence on the user's intention of IS continuance.     

User goals in social virtual worlds: A means-end chain approach

The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to investigate user goals in social virtual worlds; second, to introduce a methodological alternative (i.e., a means-end chain approach) for analyzing user goals in cyberspaces. The data were acquired from a web survey, and were analyzed by means-end chain analysis (MECA), which produces users’ goal structure in reference to a hierarchical system of interrelated goals (Olson & Reynolds, 1983). The results show that people come to social virtual worlds to satisfy their social and hedonic needs, and to escape from real world constraints, as do virtual community members and virtual gamers; they also pursue unique activities, such as creating virtual objects and selling them. On the other hand, by clarifying relations among users’ goals, MECA provides a richer explanation for user goals than prior research which only offers separate user goals for cyberspace users without explanation of relationship among goals.     

Emergence of Collective Behavior in Evolving Populations of Flying Agents

We demonstrate the emergence of collective behavior in two evolutionary computation systems, one an evolutionary extension of a classic (highly constrained) flocking algorithm and the other a relatively un-constrained system in which the behavior of agents is governed by evolved computer programs. The first system demonstrates the evolution of a form of multicellular organization, while the second demonstrates the evolution of a form of altruistic food sharing. In this article we describe both systems in detail, document the emergence of collective behavior, and argue that these systems present new opportunities for the study of group dynamics in an evolutionary context. We also provide a brief overview of the breve simulation environment in which the systems were produced, and of breve’s facilities for the rapid, exploratory development of visualization strategies for artificial life.