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“Too Much To Handle” Impact of Mobile Social Networking Sites on Information Overload, Depressive Symptoms, and Well-being
Abstract
Mobile social networking sites (SNS) are frequently theorized to lead to perceived information overload, which may affect the well-being of individuals in negative ways. However, the available body of research is mainly based on cross-sectional data. Based on the limited capacity model of motivated mediated message processing (Lang, 2002), we tested the over-time relationships between mobile SNS use, information overload, depressive symptoms, and well-being in a two-wave panel study. Using a quota sample of adults (NT2 = 461), we found that YouTube use increased perceived information overload for all individuals. WhatsApp and Snapchat use did only lead to perceived information overload for older adults. Facebook as well as Instagram use were unrelated to perceived information overload. Furthermore, perceptions of information overload were a significant predictor of depressive symptoms, which in turn, negatively influenced individuals’ well-being over time. Implications of these findings are discussed.
... This issue profoundly impacts knowledge construction and student learning in online environments. Moreover, research has consistently linked information overload to stress, anxiety, and distress, affecting both students and working professionals alike [21]- [23]. ...
... Previous research has established a connection between anxiety and information overload. Matthes et al. [21] probed mobile information overload, employing qualitative interviews and contextual inquiry with nine smartphone users. Their findings revealed that five participants experienced varying levels of anxiety due to information overload. ...
... Emerging research indicates a compelling link between information overload and the experience of depression. In a comprehensive study, Matthes et al. [21] explored the dynamic interplay between mobile social networking site (SNS) use, information overload, depressive symptoms, and overall well-being. Their findings, based on a diverse sample of 461 adults, revealed that YouTube use universally heightened perceived information overload. ...
span lang="EN-US">In the ever-expanding landscape of online education, the mental well-being of online distant learners has emerged as a critical concern. This study delves into the complex interplay between information overload, stress, anxiety, and depression among online distant learners in Malaysian universities. Using a survey research method and utilizing perceptual measures, we explored the psychological states of online distant learners in Malaysia. Based on the analysis of 384 responses, the results showed that online distant learners did not report experiencing information overload, stress, anxiety, or depression. Despite this absence, the study identified significant positive associations between information overload and stress, information overload and anxiety, as well as between stress and anxiety, and anxiety and depression. The implications of this study resonate profoundly in the realm of online education policy-making and implementation.</span
... Research in this realm has mostly been occupied with studying information overloada possible detrimental individual-level consequence of information abundance that surfaces, for example, as overload on mobile devices (e.g., Matthes et al., 2020), platforms (e.g., Dai et al., 2020), or as news overload (e.g., Schmitt et al., 2018). Yet, we know relatively little about the strategies that people use to react or to prevent this overload. ...
... Research on video games provides mixed evidence, with studies linking higher hours of video gaming to higher levels of well-being (Johannes et al., 2021) but also to sleep problems (Smyth, 2007). Motivations for entertainment use are associated with compulsive use patterns (Kim et al., 2009), and studies suggest links between using YouTube and overload (Matthes et al., 2020). ...
... Moreover, the increased use of mobile communication might compromise social relationships (Kushlev et al., 2019). Notably, perceptions of information overload might differ across platforms and may be stronger for certain age groups (Matthes et al., 2020;Nguyen et al., 2021). ...
Information abundance has become a defining characteristic of digital media environments. Today, people have to deal with a vast amount of news, entertainment and personal communication. This study investigates the strategies that people use to do so. Conceptually, we propose to understand information abundance as a macro-level phenomenon, i.e., an external state, which is neither positive nor negative per se. However, it may be experienced differently by individuals depending on what strategies they have to navigate abundance. Information abundance can be observed at the levels of content, sources, and devices as well as across the different media contexts of news, entertainment, or personal communication. Empirically, we conduct focus group discussions with 40 participants from Switzerland and examine what strategies people use to manage or withdraw from information abundance. The findings show that the strategies of selection, avoidance, and disconnection are applied similarly across the three media contexts, both temporarily and habitually, preventively and interventively, and are often used in tandem. Our findings also reveal that all strategies are used at the content, source, and device levels, which is important to consider because avoidance or disconnection from devices can inevitably affect media use more generally. The use of strategies seems to impact how individuals experience abundance, supporting previous research that avoidance and disconnection can mitigate information overload and enhance well-being. The study contributes to a better understanding of the multifaceted application of strategies as individual responses to the increase of information supply and the blurring boundaries between different media contexts.
... Digital platforms are awash with content such as social media status updates, photo and video uploads, blog posts, podcasts, and streaming content, among others (LaRose et al., 2014;Masood et al., 2022;Matthes et al., 2020). As much of this content deluge is highly attuned to the interests, lifestyles, and aspirations of university students, they cannot simply ignore it; instead, they are compelled to interact with it, making digital overload a significant concern on their psychological well-being and academic performance (Alt, 2015;Maier et al., 2019;Tarafdar et al., 2020;Whelan et al., 2020). ...
... Lanir (2019), citing the results of a nationally representative survey conducted by Pew Research Center, observed that most teachers (close to 90%) agreed with the statement that ''today's digital technologies are creating an easily distracted generation with short attention spans'' and with the statement that''today's students are too 'plugged in' and need more time away from their digital technologies.'' Similarly, a series of academic studies have reported a range of diminished psychological functioning caused by digital overload including loneliness, anxiety, fatigue, sleep deprivation, and attention deficit (Alt, 2015;Matthes et al., 2020;Steele et al., 2020). Additionally, with students devoting an increasing amount of time and energy to digital platforms, academic work tends to take the back seat, adversely affecting their performance (Tokunaga, 2016). ...
... More specifically, the findings contribute to the literature in three substantive ways. First, previous research has mainly focused on the negative effects of digital overload and how they manifest in student behavior (Loh et al., 2022;Masood et al., 2022;Matthes et al., 2020). This approach is based on the implicit assumption that university students are powerless against digital overload and cannot take proactive measures to reduce its impact. ...
As avid users, university students find themselves immersed in the deluge of content being created and shared on digital platforms, which makes digital overload a significant concern. The present study examines the effects of digital overload on university students’ psychological well-being and how the use of coping mechanisms might help to mitigate some of these effects. The study developed a research model based on the S-O-R (stimulus, organism, response) framework and gathered data from undergraduate students at a major public university in the United Arab Emirates. To minimize the threat of common method bias, data collection was conducted in two rounds separated by two weeks. Hypotheses were tested using a partial least square path modeling approach. The findings show that digital overload causes psychological strains among students such as technostress and exhaustion, which subsequently encourage them to adopt coping mechanisms. The findings also show that the adoption of coping mechanisms is positively associated with student engagement. The study contributes to the literature by shifting the focus away from information overload—emphasizing digital overload instead—and investigating how students can respond to it by using coping mechanisms.
... Using social media for educational purposes can be done in many ways such as staying updated on current events via Facebook, acquiring coding skills through YouTube tutorials, and participating in virtual classes via platforms like Zoom. For example, increased use of YouTube and Instagram may result in a perceived information overload, potentially contributing to feelings of depression (Matthes et al., 2019) (Reis, 2022). Furthermore, the spread of fake news on social media platforms can increase anxiety and depression, affecting students' mental health (Rocha et al., 2021) for instance, distributing false information during the COVID-19 pandemic has been related to higher levels of depression. ...
... Last but not least, Hypothesis H17 was rejected, demonstrating that there was no statistically significant indirect impact of using social media for education on academic achievement through depression. This result highlights the significance of taking into account a variety of characteristics, such as personal coping mechanisms, social connections, and general well-being, that have an impact on academic performance and go beyond social media usage alone (Matthes et al., 2019). For instance, educational social media platforms could provide worthwhile learning chances and resources, but variables like students' emotional resilience and support structures might have a greater impact on their immediate effect on depression levels and subsequent academic success (Reis, 2022). ...
... Technological engagement, particularly cell phone usage, is identified as a risk factor associated with an increased likelihood of depression. The mechanisms underlying this relationship may include information overload, reduced face-to-face interaction, and the psychosocial impacts of social media use (Matthes et al., 2020), which can foster isolation and unfavorable social comparison, especially among adolescents (Clark et al., 2018;Reer et al., 2019). ...
... The possession and use of cell phones have been linked to increased anxiety, underscoring the role of technology in contributing to mental health challenges. Excessive engagement with mobile devices and social media can lead to information overload, unfavorable social comparisons, and sleep disturbances, all of which are known to exacerbate anxiety (Matthes et al., 2020). ...
The mental health of children and adolescents in the Chilean Educational System (ChES) has become a severe post-pandemic public health problem. This cross-sectional study, which included 1,174 children and adolescents from five Chilean regions, used the DASS-21 scale, focusing on determining the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as identifying associated risk factors. The results exposed a high prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress (60.2%, 63.6%, and 50.2%, respectively). Risk factors for depression involve being female, having separated parents, being in high school, having a cell phone, difficulty sleeping, ruminative thoughts, and low self-esteem. For anxiety, factors included being female, being 12 years old, owning a cell phone, having sleep problems, having ruminations, having low self-esteem, and being an atheist. For stress, factors were identified as being female, owning a cell phone, sleep problems, ruminations, low self-esteem, being atheist, as well as extensive use of social networks. The research underscores the urgent need for intervention by educational authorities, given the marked deterioration in the mental health of children and adolescent students in the ChES, to prevent long-term consequences.
... Digital stress can emerge when users allocate too much energy to the digital demands and underachieve other goals, when they have to stay alert to ongoing stimuli for an extended period of time, and when individuals have to constantly monitor their digital image [1]. Many activities youth frequently perform during DSMT, such as texting and using social media, have been found to be associated with various types of digital stress [38,39], likely because these activities deplete one's resources for other tasks, prompt one to immediately respond to multiple requests, and make one self-conscious about their online self-presentation. ...
... First, in the research of digital stress, most studies have focused on only level/frequency of multitasking or amount of media use as a contributor (e.g., Refs. [5,16,39]). Our study is among the first to unravel that positive and negative perceptions could both induce digital stress. ...
Background
Digital stress refers to the stress resulting from persistent use of digital media. Given its major implications for well-being, it is crucial to explore how the use of digital media would contribute to the stress. Drawing on the frameworks of DSMT (i.e., using a digital device during social interactions) and perceived peer norms, we explored whether and how perceived peer norms of DSMT and adolescents’ own DSMT were associated with digital stress.
Method
Adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 were recruited through the Qualtrics survey panels. A total of 2105 adolescents completed a one-time online survey (Mage = 15.39, S.D. = 1.82).
Results
Path analysis revealed that all three self-DSMT variables (level, positive self-perception, negative self-perception) were associated with higher digital stress, with level and negative self-perception having stronger associations than did positive self-perception. Furthermore, peer DSMT level was related to higher digital stress both directly and indirectly through all three self-DSMT variables. Positive peer perception of DSMT was indirectly related to higher digital stress through higher self-DSMT level and more positive self-perception of DSMT, but was related to lower digital stress through reduced negative self-perception of DSMT. Negative peer perception of DSMT contributed to higher digital stress both directly and indirectly by intensifying teens’ own negative perception of DSMT. Judging from the total-paths coefficients, all three peer norm variables were related to higher digital stress, with level having the largest coefficient, followed by negative peer perception and finally positive peer perception of DSMT.
Discussion and conclusion
All three perceived peer norms of DSMT (level, positive perception, negative perception) had the potential to increase digital stress directly and/or via impacting teens’ own engagement in and perceptions of DSMT, with perceived peer engagement and negative peer perception being the greater risk factors. At the individual level, a similar pattern emerged—self-DSMT level and negative self-perception had noticeably stronger associations with digital stress than did positive self-perception.
... Research has identified several factors contributing to the online spread of fake news, including information sharing, information seeking, and altruism (Apuke & Omar, 2021a), time constraints and religiosity as well as social interaction (Malik et al., 2023;Sampat & Raj, 2022). Predictors like information overload (Gordon et al., 2022;Matthes et al., 2020) have also been highlighted. The rise in incidents of fake news dissemination has undermined trust in the media and damaged the credibility of news sources (Ouedraogo, 2020). ...
Aim/Purpose: Despite the widespread presence of fake news on the internet, many individuals continue to share information without verifying its accuracy. In response, this study examined two types of news-sharing behaviors, Unverified News Sharing and Authenticating News Before Sharing, and their influence on the spread of fake news on social media. Fake news awareness was also incorporated into the paper as a moderating factor. Background: The proposed conceptual model illustrates how an individual’s general approach to news sharing can predict the behavior of fake news sharing. The model was further expanded to include the construct of fake news awareness to understand how it moderates the behavioral intention to share fake news. Methodology: A survey method was employed to collect data from 450 respondents in India and to test the conceptual model. Structural equation modeling was employed. Contribution: It contributes by developing a framework to examine the multifaceted nature of news-sharing behavior and its role in the dissemination of false information on social media. The study expands on the fake news literature and offers practical recommendations for policymakers aiming to reduce the spread of fake news on social media. Findings: The findings revealed that unverified news sharing is a strong predictor of fake news dissemination while authenticating news before sharing reduces fake news sharing. Moreover, fake news awareness was found to weaken the link between unverified news sharing and fake news distribution. Recommendation for Researchers: It is recommended that researchers investigate how different cultures, regions, or countries respond to fake news, including variations in awareness, susceptibility, and methods of combating it. Researchers could also explore the psychological factors that make individuals more susceptible to fake news and the role of fact-checking and algorithm changes in improving user awareness of fake news. Future Research: Integrating moderating variables like demographic factors and conducting longitudinal studies will strengthen the model’s reliability and adaptability, providing a more detailed insight into news-sharing behavior.
... The last room is sold out" create urgency by emphasizing the fear of missing out on exclusive opportunities. However, growing concerns about digital overload, fast-paced lifestyles (Shahzad et al., 2022), and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (Kim et al., 2021a) have led to FOMO tactics being viewed as potential threats to well-being (Matthes et al., 2020). In response, JOMO (Joy of Missing Out) strategies offer a refreshing alternative, emphasizing internal fulfillment and personal well-being (Barry et al., 2023). ...
Purpose
Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is characterized by anxiety over potentially missed experiences, while Joy of Missing Out (JOMO) embraces contentment in opting out of social engagements. Drawing on cognitive appraisal theory, this study aims to investigate how FOMO and JOMO appeals influence pride, gratitude and purchase intention while considering the impacts of age and social comparison orientation.
Design/methodology/approach
Three experiments examined the impact of FOMO (Study 1), JOMO (Study 2), and comparison between FOMO and JOMO (Study 3) on pride, gratitude and purchase intention. Moderated-moderated mediation models were also tested to assess the roles of age and social comparison orientation (SCO).
Findings
FOMO appeals tend to boost feelings of pride, while JOMO appeals promote gratitude, both of which result in a higher likelihood of making a purchase. The effect of FOMO appeal on purchase intention via pride is stronger among younger consumers with high SCO. In contrast, the impact of JOMO appeal on purchase intention via gratitude is higher among older consumers with low SCO.
Practical implications
Understanding the nuances of different advertising appeals and their effect on consumer emotions (e.g. pride and gratitude) and purchase intention can inform marketers and advertising agencies in crafting more targeted and effective advertising campaigns that resonate with diverse consumer segments.
Originality/value
This study adds to the consumer emotion literature and generational research by emphasizing the role of emotions and age in shaping consumer responses to advertisements.
... The negative impacts of social media and social networking online have also been well covered in the literature, however. Giumetti and Kowalski (2022) highlight the dangers of cyberbullying via social media and its possible negative impacts on people' well-being, for example, while Matthes et al. (2020) found a positive association between the information overload associated with social media use and depressive symptoms. Further, the replacement of face-to-face by digitally mediated interactions can also have a negative effect (Chen et al., 2022). ...
Digital inclusion interventions are designed to address challenges related to digital technology access and use. The complex relationships between digital technologies and people's general well‐being are important when considering the development of digital services, practices, policies, and interventions. This research explores the impact of digital inclusion on individual agency and provides evidence of how agency emerges from the use of digital technologies to contribute to well‐being. We present a framework of Digital Inclusion for Well‐being drawing on evidence from interviews with participants of three digital inclusion interventions in Aotearoa New Zealand. While recognizing that digital inclusion is a continuum and that some of our research participants were more digitally engaged that others, we propose a preliminary framework of digital inclusion connecting our participants' digital engagement with outcomes impacting their agency, and thus their well‐being.
... As a result, most people worldwide are being. Research has shown that ICT use can significantly affect psychological and financial health [9][10][11][12][13][14]. Of particular concern is the link between ICT use and adverse mental health outcomes, with several studies highlighting its connection to psychiatric disorders [15][16][17][18]. ...
In the contemporary digital era, the extensive integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) has significantly changed offline activities, including communication, shopping, and media consumption. This integration has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to increased reliance on ICT for work, education, socializing, and accessing essential services. Consequently, there is growing concern about the impact of ICT on well-being, particularly regarding psychological and financial health, as well as the association with psychiatric disorders. This study is aimed at exploring the psychometric properties of two scales adapted for the Brazilian context: the Digital Life Balance (DLB) scale and the Need for Online Social Feedback (NfOSF) scale. These scales measure individuals’ perceived balance between online and offline activities and their need for social validation online, respectively. Using a sample of 220 Brazilian individuals (50.9% female, 43.6% male, mean age=34.96 years, SD=11.32), we conducted confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to assess the scales’ factor structures and test the reliability and validity of the two measures. The results demonstrated good fit indices and reliable internal consistency for both scales. Additionally, metric invariance between Brazilian and Italian samples was established, supporting cross-cultural applicability. External validity was examined through correlations with time spent on social media and the perceived importance of followers. Findings indicate that higher DLB is associated with less time spent online, while greater NfOSF correlates with higher importance placed on social media followers. These insights highlight the importance of understanding digital balance and the role of social feedback in ICT use, contributing to the effective screening of potential dysfunctional ICT use in Brazil. As a result of this study, validated Brazilian versions of the NfOSF and DLB scales were successfully obtained, offering valuable tools for assessing DLB and the NfOSF in the Brazilian context.
... The barrage of pandemic-related content could tax cognitive resources and trigger anxiety because of the overwhelming sense of powerlessness in accessing and comprehending essential information (Bawden & Robinson, 2009). Such overload often leads to stress, a known predictor of depression, with studies like Matthes et al. (2020) establishing a direct correlation with depressive symptoms. In addition, information from reliable sources (health organizations, professionals, and officials) regarding the cause, outcomes, prevention, and treatment of the disease could be conflated with rumors, hoaxes, and misinformation on social media platforms (Kouzy et al., 2020). ...
Social media have come to play an important role during public health crises, especially for younger generations, who use social media as a tool to respond to and cope with the stressful circumstances. This study, grounded in the multiactivity framework of social media use, investigated risks and benefits associated with different types of social media use for college students’ mental health in the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey completed by 849 U.S. college students in Spring 2020 provided the data for analysis. Structural equation modeling shows that while social media consumption of COVID-19 information was linked to increased levels of depression and anxiety via channels of information overload, uncertainty, and worry, engaging in direct private communication demonstrated a protective effect, reducing depression and anxiety through enhanced emotional support and companionship. The research further revealed that neither broadcasting COVID-related content nor participating in non-COVID-related activities significantly affected mental health indicators. Gender differences were also examined. Female students reported higher levels of depression and anxiety than male students; gender did not moderate the relationship between social media use and mental well-being. These insights shed light on the intricate dynamics of social media use during a crisis. They underscore the importance of discerning between various forms of social media engagement and suggest that accurate information dissemination and the promotion of direct, supportive communication could be instrumental to alleviating mental health burdens among college students in times of widespread uncertainty.
... With the continuous development of media technology, traditional information dissemination methods can no longer meet the diversified needs of users, and users' media consumption is typically visual, fragmented, and mobile (Matthes et al., 2020). Using smartphones as a carrier, Mobile Short Video (MSV) that can be edited and shared quickly fit users' fragmented consumption needs and experiences (Choi et al., 2021). ...
The features of mobile short video are the important driver for users’ continuous use behavior, but the influence of these characteristics on users’ sustained use behavior has been scarcely studied. Building upon the stimulus-organism-response theory, this study aims to unravel the impact mechanism behind short video users’ continuous usage. It surveyed 780 TikTok users aged 20-39 in China and collected 609 responses through an online self-administered questionnaire. The covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) was employed for data analysis to test the research model and hypotheses. Empirical results showed that entertainment and sociability have a significant positive effect on user’s continuous use behavior and perceived usefulness also positively influences user’s continuous use behavior. Moreover, the relationship between mobile short video characteristics (mobility, sociability, and entertainment) and continuous use behavior is mediated by user’s perceived usefulness. The current research not only offers fresh insights into the intricate relationship between mobile short video characteristics and users’ continuous usage behavior, but also provides practical guidance for enterprises and platform operators to enhance user experience and retention.
... This may reflect their varied roles in users' lives, balancing between positive interactions and potential sources of stress. The neutral impact of these kinds of media usage could suggest their use as tools for entertainment and cognitive engagement without the risks associated with social media and news consumption, likely due to a lower information overload, which can contribute to depressive symptoms [56]. ...
Background
Over the past decades, media use has become a key aspect of young people’s daily lives, significantly shaping their social interactions, learning processes, and recreational pursuits. At the same time, healthcare professionals and researchers are increasingly concerned about the impact of media use on young people’s mental health. This concern is particularly relevant for gender diverse youth who may have distinct experiences with media that could impact their mental health uniquely compared to their peers, such as increased exposure to cyberbullying and negative content regarding their gender identity. This study aims to explore the associations between media use and depressive symptoms among youth and examine if gender moderates this association.
Methods
This study utilized a cross-sectional design involving a school-based sample of 8158 participants (Mage = 14.05 years, SD = 2.45, Ndiverse = 144) from Austria. Participants completed a survey assessing their media use and depressive symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Media use was measured by asking participants to report their daily usage in hours and minutes across various categories, including smartphone use, streaming services, social networks, and other media types. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine relationships between different forms of media use and depressive symptoms. Moderation analyses were performed using the PROCESS macro for SPSS to explore the role of gender.
Results
For gender diverse youth, multiple regression analysis identified streaming services (β = 0.265, p = .005) and social networks (β = 0.189, p = .037) as significant predictors of depressive symptoms in gender diverse youth. Moderation analyses conducted with the entire sample showed that gender moderates the relationship between depressive symptoms and smartphone use (B = - 0.008, p = .014), with the effect being the most negative for gender diverse individuals.
Conclusion
The findings underscore the complex relationship between media use and depressive symptoms among gender diverse youth, emphasizing the moderating role of gender. These results underline the need for gender-sensitive approaches in media literacy and mental health interventions. Stakeholders should be aware of risks and benefits of different media types to foster healthy media engagement.
... The last few years have been characterized as the "infodemic" years because the flood of information that impacts on user's psychological health (Allahverdipour, 2020, Patel et al., 2020. The broad number of findings are concerned with the problem of information overload in the light of human psychological and physical health (Lup et al., 2015;Matthes et al., 2020;Upadhayay, 2018. It has been shown that information overload may become a burden rather than a benefit (Fan & Smith, 2021). ...
... The significance of social media's influence on general well-being is shown by the way the need for belonging affects emotional experiences and use habits [10]. According to the research, perceived information overload brought on by social networking site usage may eventually positively predict depressed symptoms, which are then likely to have a detrimental influence on people's general well-being [11]. Watching short videos impacts users' subjective wellbeing, with younger people being more likely to be concerned about social comparisons and selfcontrol, while older users show concerns about health problems linked to watching videos for extended periods [12]. ...
This literature review examines how short videos have affected the digital era, with an emphasis on apps such as TikTok and Instagram. It draws attention to how short videos may drastically alter how people consume material and emphasises the necessity for a well-rounded strategy, particularly with younger audiences. The research also delves into the controversy surrounding the use of casual language in educational settings, with experts voicing varying opinions on how it affects formal writing abilities. It highlights the potential advantages of brief video material for language learning, such as improved comprehension and vocabulary retention. It demands that platforms for short videos be included in instructional frameworks in a curated manner. It notes a research lack in the systematic evaluation of instructional practises designed for this medium, despite the potential of short videos in education. This review offers a thorough synopsis of the many effects of brief video material in the digital age.
... Users are more likely to report experiencing information overload, less satisfaction with their information autonomy, and more informational anxiety when they read more irrelevant articles and more top articles. Consistent with existing research (Matthes et al. 2020), the study also found correlations between news recommender systems use and perceived information overload. Users might show self-doubt about their ability of online seeking/scanning, which caused higher information overload and less user satisfaction. ...
Cold start and data sparsity are problems hindering the function of news recommender systems. Optimally serving first-time users through relevant news article recommendations is an application of these problems that have attracted scholars’ attention. Users’ goal commitment might be another solution that raise efficiency of information searching while it is understudied in previous research. Drawing from the results of 669 Amazon MTurk workers’ questionnaires, this experimental study explored solutions. We manipulated the relevance of news recommendations (high relevance vs. low relevance) and information behavior within a news portal, either scanning (via a list of news articles) or seeking (via a search query). We also measured an individual difference variable, goal commitment. Results indicated that higher relevance of recommendations and higher goal commitment lead to lower information overload, higher user satisfaction, and lower information anxiety. We also found interaction effects of goal commitment and content relevance on article selection, such that users will be likely to select more irrelevant articles in the low relevance condition rather than the high relevance condition even though they have a goal commitment and perceive higher information overload and information anxiety indirectly via selecting more irrelevant articles. Furthermore, people with high goal commitment were less anxious when they read fewer irrelevant articles in the news recommender systems. The study addressed the importance of considering the user-recommender interaction and the potential merits of considering users goal commitment in the news recommender system design. The research indicates integrating personal traits into state-of-the-art news recommender systems has the potential to significantly improve user experience. While this research suggests personal traits can mitigate the limitations of imperfect recommender systems, users can also curate or train these systems based on their goals to further enhance efficiency.
... This causes cognitive exhaustion due to the constant need to deal with distractions. Managers today are in a constant stream of information disruptions that result in kicking out of work and shallower mental processes (Matthes et al., 2020). Research (Eppler & Mengis, 2004;Misra & Stokols, 2012;Reinke & Chamorro-Premuzic, 2014;, Wajcman and Rose 2011) shows that a serious problem is working amid constant distractions, interrupting tasks with constantly incoming emails, notifications, messages sent through messengers, not parting with your smartphone, constant readiness to reply to emails and text messages, which in turn causes a decrease in efficiency, lowering the quality of mental work and creating a habit of working in the so-called half-focus. ...
Purpose
This article aims to explore the issue of digital well-being as a resource for achieving overall well-being at work and to assist managers in coping with technological demands during the hybrid mode of work. It describes how managers organize their work using information and communication technologies (ICT). Efforts were also made to determine the patterns of technology usage in a hybrid work environment. The level of technology acceptance, perception, and managers’ attitudes towards technological changes were also considered.
Design/methodology/approach
This research employs a qualitative methodology, and the thematic exploration involves scrutinizing findings obtained from 20 in-depth interviews with managers (white-collar workers) employed in large organizations in Poland and is preceded by a literature review.
Findings
With the increasingly prevalent model of hybrid work, the number and frequency of ICT usage by managers are also on the rise. The findings enhance our understanding of how various behavioral patterns of interaction with information technology among managers shape concentration management, perceptions of technostress, work-life balance, managers’ regeneration practices, and contribute to their digital well-being.
Practical implications
The results indicate the need for organizations to be more mindful of promoting sustainable ICT usage by managers, which can lead to an increase in their digital well-being and prevent the cultivation of an “always-on” culture within the organization. This approach also enables managers to constructively handle the continually increasing technological demands and technostress.
Originality/value
This research significantly contributes to the literature by examining how the utilization of information and communication technologies impacts the digital well-being of managers in a hybrid work environment. Without digital well-being, managers may find it challenging to achieve overall well-being at work, which can, in the long run, result in decreased productivity.
... Frequent experiences of IO may additionally diminish work satisfaction (Benselin and Ragsdell, 2016, p. 293). Ultimately, IO may have a negative impact on mental health, potentially leading to depression (Matthes et al., 2020). Reported reactions among university students encompass stress, worry, confusion, irritation, frustration, and anger (Al-Kumaim et al., 2021;Khalid et al., 2016). ...
Introduction. The paper explores high school students' experiences of information overload in the context of their studies, investigating its causes and how they manage it. Method. Data was collected through qualitative interviews with six students aged 13-16. Analysis. A thematic content analysis was applied to discern patterns and themes in the students' experiences. Results. All informants had experienced information overload, but how and to which degree it manifested differed between them. The most common trigger was encountering complex information, followed by passive exposure to large amounts of information over time. Students primarily responded to information overload by losing attention, while some also reported negative emotions such as irritation and sadness. Conclusion. The findings reveal that high school students frequently experience information overload in the context of their schoolwork. Personal vulnerabilities seemed to influence the extent in which they experienced information overload.
... First, the Perceived Overload of short video apps for older adults had a significant negative impact on their loneliness and mental health, and these results confirmed that System Feature Overload, information overload, and social overload factors are linked to their negative emotions such as fatigue and frustration and also validated previous findings of the adverse effects of Perceived Overload factors on mental health. 6,8,29,47,83 In addition, the loneliness that occurs during the use of short video apps among older adults also exacerbates their mental health problems, thus elucidating the relationship between loneliness and mental health in terms of technological stress. 36,38 Second, the analysis of the mediation results in this study showed that the use of Perceived Overload by older adults' short video apps had an indirect effect on their mental health through loneliness, and loneliness partially mediated the relationship between Perceived Overload and mental health, indicating that loneliness is a key factor in the unfavorable effects of older adults' short video app use of Perceived Overload on their mental health. ...
Background
In the post-epidemic era, the problem of short-video app addiction among older adults has become increasingly prominent, and people have begun to pay attention to the negative emotional and psychological consequences of Perceived Overload of short-video apps. Given the growing mental health concerns of older adults, it is critical to understand the potential relationship between the Perceived Overload of short video apps for older adults and older adults’ mental health.
Methods
This study applied the stress-strain-outcome (SSO) framework to explore the relationship between perceived overload of a short-video application and loneliness, mental health, and Confucianism tenets in 1300 Chinese older adults. The relationship between perceived overload and loneliness, mental health, and Confucianism tenet moderated mediation models of perceived overload and mental health were created using SPSS 26.0 and PROCESS 4.1 for SPSS.
Results
The perceived overload of a short video application for older adults directly predicted loneliness and mental health in older adults, and the Confucianism tenet moderated the mediation process between perceived overload and mental health. Perceived overload affects mental health through loneliness in older adults.
Discussion
The results of this study are of practical significance for understanding the current problem of short-video addiction among older adults. Understanding the effects of perceived overload on older adults’ loneliness and mental health can help prevent loneliness and mental health problems caused by short-video addiction among older adults on the one hand, and on the other hand, it can also help to develop targeted coping strategies and create psychological intervention programs based on the Confucianism tenet of intervention ethics to improve mental health in a changing technological stress environment.
... The constant exposure to AI-generated misinformation and deepfakes can have a psychological toll on the populace. The bombardment of conflicting information can lead to information overload, where individuals struggle to process and make sense of the vast amounts of data they encounter daily: This situation can cause increased stress, anxiety, and a sense of helplessness among individuals [12,29,40]. Additionally, the fear of being deceived by AI-generated content can lead to a general mistrust of digital information. ...
Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) and Large Language Models (LLMs) pose significant risks, particularly in the realm of online election interference. This paper explores the nefarious applications of GenAI, highlighting their potential to disrupt democratic processes through deepfakes, botnets, targeted misinformation campaigns, and synthetic identities. By examining recent case studies and public incidents, we illustrate how malicious actors exploit these technologies to try influencing voter behavior, spread disinformation, and undermine public trust in electoral systems. The paper also discusses the societal implications of these threats, emphasizing the urgent need for robust mitigation strategies and international cooperation to safeguard democratic integrity.
... Need recognition: In the hyper-connected environment to which consumers are constantly exposed, consumers are continuously fed information from both online and offline environments. Matthes, Karsay, Schmuck, & Stevic (2020) state that continuous exposure to information has an impact on how consumers' needs are triggered and can create artificial needs. The proposed theoretical framework ( Figure 1) proposes that the hyper-connected consumer can identify a need from an internal search. ...
The proliferation of internet accessibility, mobile devices, the surge in online platforms and intelligent technologies, as well as the rapid advancements in the technological domain have fostered hyper-connectivity. This hyper-connectivity influences how consumers behave and make purchase decisions. This study makes use of quantitative research to explore the factors that influence the decision-making process of the hyper-connected consumer. Non-probability, simple random sampling was utilised for the study. The data was collected through surveys, and the instrument was tested using Likert scales. An online questionnaire was disseminated to consumers from within South Africa and yielded 306 valid responses. The results were analysed using exploratory factor analysis to identify and extract the latent factors of decision making for the hyper-connected consumer from the data collected. The main findings identified six factors that are grouped into intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence the decision-making of the hyper-connected consumer. The intrinsic factors identified include personal insights and influences, and subjective knowledge. The extrinsic factors identified include sources/channels of information, price and financial influences, and personal and family needs. The factor labelled social influences was found to encompass characteristics of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The study not only provides greater insights into the changing nature of consumer behaviour in a hyper-connected world but also provides actionable insights for industry stakeholders.
... Media and media content overload can serve as a conduit for mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression (e.g., Li et al., 2023;Matthes et al., 2020). The content of media, including negative news, has the potential to shape the minds of audiences and implant specific assumptions and tendencies within them. ...
The media's adherence to “if it bleeds, it leads” has resulted in global dominance of negative news (e.g.,
stories of corruption, fraud, shootings, terrorism, and war). The appetite for negative news is fueled by
negativity bias, which compels people to prioritize negative over positive stories. This cross-cultural
study, inspired by media effect theories such as Cultivation Theory, explored the links between
problematic consumption of negative news (doomscrolling), existential anxiety, pessimistic views about
human nature, and belief about a just world in two distinct cultures. Participants included convenience
samples of Iranian (n = 620) and American (n= 180) university-student social media users. Doomscrolling
was associated with elevated levels of existential anxiety in both samples. Additionally, misanthropy was
positively associated with doomscrolling only in the Iranian sample. Aligned with the Media-induced
PTSD Hypothesis and the Shattered Assumption Theory, our findings suggest that prolonged exposure to
negative news can contribute to the development of existential anxiety. Current news framing with its
overemphasis on negativity could fuel doomscrolling-inspired existential concerns.
Keywords: belief in a just world, cross-cultural, doomscrolling, existential anxiety, misanthropy, social
media
... 50 Emotions play a role in the information processing process, and when faced with excessive information, individuals may feel a sense of loss of control, causing mental stress and even leading to the development of depressive mood. 51,52 The Limited Capacity Model of Cognition suggests that individuals can allocate moderate resources to process a certain amount of information. However, when information overload occurs, individuals will allocate more resources to handle the excess information, leading to an increase in resource usage during task switching and a corresponding decrease in resources allocated to other aspects. ...
Background
The 18–24 age group has a much higher rate of depression risk than other age groups, and this age group has the highest proportion among users of mobile social media. The relationship between the use of mobile social media and depressive mood is inconsistent and the mechanism of action is controversial.
Purpose
This study explored the relationship among the intensity of social media use, upward social comparison, cognitive overload and depressive mood.
Methods
In this research, we used the Brief Self-rating Depression Scale (PHQ-9), the Social Media Usage Intensity Questionnaire, the Social Comparison Scale on Social Networking Sites and the Social Networking Site Cognitive Overload Scale to investigate the depressive mood and mobile social media use of 568 college students.
Results
The intensity of mobile social media use, social networking site upward social comparison, and social networking site cognitive overload are all positively correlated with depressive mood. The intensity of mobile social media use has a positive predictive effect on depressive mood, with upward social comparison and cognitive overload acting as independent mediators in the relationship between mobile social media use intensity and depressive symptoms, as well as exhibiting a chained mediating effect of upward social comparison-cognitive overload.
Conclusion
The upward social comparison and cognitive load that occur during the use of mobile social media are important predictive factors for the occurrence of depressive mood. This study is a supplement to the mechanism of the relationship between mobile social media use and depression, providing more evidence-based evidence and intervention directions for university teachers, mobile social media developers, and psychologists.
... However, it depends on type of social media they are using. Personal social media usage increases the tendency of procrastination at work (Tandon et al., 2022) while official use of social media networks leads to information overload (Doost & Zhang, 2023;Fu et al., 2020;Matthes et al., 2020;Osatuyi, & Turel, 2019) and indecisiveness (Brown-Liburd et al., 2015) along with several wellbeing issues related to stress and strain (Munene & Nyaribo, 2013;Wang et al., 2021). However, none of these studies have considered the mediation of ambiguity intolerance to establish the path between information overload and employee productivity. ...
Previous literature presents a gap to study the mediating mechanism in the relationship between use of social media to perform a job and employees' productivity. Based on the transactional stress and coping model, we conducted the present research to assess the serial mediation of information overload and ambiguity intolerance for this relationship. Using adapted research questionnaires, we used an online data collection technique to collect data from a sample of 232 employees working with Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). Results obtained through structural equation modeling, indicate significant serial mediation of information overload and ambiguity intolerance in the relationship between use of social media and overall employees' productivity. We also found that use of social media is positively related to information overload and ambiguity intolerance and negatively related to employees' overall productivity. The study has contributed to the literature by identifying situational, psychological, and behavioral consequences of use of social media at work. Research has discussed several implications for organizations and researchers.
... These results are supported by the study of Oberst et al. (2017) and Barman et al. (2018) investigated the psychological outcomes of social media use among adolescents and reported that among other psychological issues, depression is an issue which is a product of excessive social media use. Medrano and Rosales (2018), Kaya et al. (2020) and Matthes et al. (2020) also confirmed that use of social media applications including Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, and Instagram have a clear association with depression. Bashir and Bhat (2017), Puukko et al. (2020) and Kim et al. (2006) investigated the active excessive use of social networks by adolescents and its relation with depressive symptoms. ...
Using social networks in access and getting addicted to these applications has negatively influenced the mental health of the users. The objective of the study was to inspect the effects of social media applications including WhatsApp, Face Book, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram on the intensity of psychological problems including aggression, depression, and suicidal ideation among undergraduate students (N=490) both males and females with the age range from 18 years to 25 who were addicted (N=297) and non-addicted (N=193) to these social media applications. It was hypothesized that the scores of addicted students will be high on aggression, depression, and suicidal ideation. Purposive sampling technique was used and Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, Aggression Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory II, and Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation were administered on the students. T-test was used on SPSS version 20 to examine the statistics. Results of the study suggested that undergraduates with social media addiction have more aggression, depression, and suicidal ideation as compared to non-addicted undergraduates. The results of the project led to some practical implications. There should be some counselors and motivational lecturers in all the educational institutions to educate the students to use the social media applications in a beneficial way. Secondly, all the educational institutions must have mental health centers to deal with the effected students. Lastly, some subjects or programs should be included in the curriculum which can guide the students to use social media in a fruitful way.
... During the information processing stage, individuals navigate an escalating volume of information. Information overload occurs when the volume of available information transcends an individual's cognitive capacity (Bawden & Robinson, 2009;Hu & Krishen, 2019;Matthes, Karsay, Schmuck, & Stevic, 2020;Phillips-Wren & Adya, 2020). When confronted with equivalent volumes of information, individuals with "a lower level of cognitive capacity for dealing with relevant information tend to perceive higher levels of information overload" (Chen, Lin, & Cheng, 2022, p. 3) and adopt heuristics to save time and energy (Kahneman, 2011;McCabe et al., 2016), demonstrating a relatively lower ILL. ...
In this era of abundant travel-related information, tourist decision-making processes have become increasingly complex and nonrational. This study focuses on the initiation and conclusion instances of decision-making between the pre-decision, decision-in-progress, and post-decision phases to capture the diversity of decisional behaviors. Building upon the Cyclic Model of Tourist Decision-Making, two new constructs, the Decision-Making Threshold (DMT) and Information Loop Limit (ILL), were validated with measurement tools developed, with which we empirically recognized the individual differences in the propensity to start and end decisions. Moreover , the dimensions of each construct were confirmed by incorporating the DMT for internal and external stimuli and the ILL based on cognitive capacity and willingness. The validation of the original theoretical concepts provides a basis for future research, including the examination of correlations among DMT, ILL, and other consumption-related behaviors. Four distinct decision-making segments are identified and practical implications are discussed.
... These factors interplay and exacerbate the psychological distress experienced by psychologically distressed university students. Information overload often results in stress and fatigue, and it may even lead to discontinuation of the use of information sources [25,32,49] . Social media information overload indirectly triggers information avoidance through factors such as negative emotions, negative cognitive tendencies, social scarcity, upward social comparison, and the fear of missing out. ...
Background: The rapid expansion of social media has given rise to a myriad of challenges among college students facing psychological distress. An abundance of fragmented and repetitive information, often referred to as information overload, inundates users on social media platforms. This inundation presents significant hurdles for college students experiencing psychological distress when acquiring and processing information. This study investigates the associative mechanisms between information overload in the context of social media and information avoidance behaviors among college students experiencing psychological distress.
Methods: From May to November 2023, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 college students experiencing psychological distress in a prefecture-level city in Henan Province, China, to collect textual data. Grounded theory was employed to conduct three-level coding of the 30 sets of textual data. Special emphasis was placed on analyzing the process of perceiving social media information overload. Subsequently, this analysis served as the foundation for constructing a factor model influencing information avoidance behaviors among college students experiencing psychological distress.
Results: The study findings indicate that, within the context of social media, college students experiencing psychological distress are prone to prolonged exposure to information overload, leading to the development of negative emotions such as anxiety and fatigue, subsequently resulting in dissatisfaction with social media. In order to alleviate these negative emotions, they employ information avoidance strategies. These strategies evolve from initially skipping or skimming information to eventually directly avoiding or even discontinuing the use of specific social media platforms. This process is not only closely linked to negative emotions but is also influenced by negative cognitive tendencies. Coupled with the role of virtual social satisfaction and social scarcity, it easily triggers social comparisons and the fear of missing out, resulting in a cyclic impact.
Conclusions: Within the context of social media, information overload and information avoidance behaviors among college students experiencing psychological distress are subject to a cyclic influence stemming from negative emotions, negative cognitive tendencies, virtual social satisfaction and social scarcity, social comparisons, and the fear of missing out. This study explores the mechanisms underlying the impact of information overload and information avoidance behaviors among college students experiencing psychological distress within the context of social media. It offers valuable insights for the prevention and intervention of psychological crises among college students.
... An increasing number of fields, including social media analysis, e-commerce, and academic research, need precise and current information. Information overload and decreased efficiency are sometimes the results of traditional search engines' inability to weed out irrelevant or out-of-date material [3]. By focusing on relevant domains, focused web crawlers solve this problem and provide more accurate and customised information retrieval. ...
In an era characterized by the exponential
growth and complexity of the World Wide Web, this paper
underscores the paramount importance of innovative focused
web crawling techniques in enhancing domain-specific
information retrieval. The study delves into the intricate
development and optimization of specialized web crawlers,
adept at navigating through the vast, intricate digital landscape
to extract and collate information that is not only accurate
but also highly pertinent to specific domains or themes. By
employing advanced algorithms and methodologies, these
refined crawlers address the prevailing challenges and
intricacies, offering a more targeted, efficient, and effective
means of data extraction. This paper provides an in-depth
analysis of the major conceptual, technical, and practical
strides, unveiling a new epoch in web mining that promises
enhanced precision and relevance in information retrieval.
Rumors spread on social media overshadow the truth and trigger public panic. One effective countermeasure to address this issue is online rumor-combating. However, its effectiveness on social media has not been fully verified. In this study, drawing on construal level theory, we use temporal distance—the time interval between a rumor-combating post being released and receiving responses from social media users—to measure the effectiveness of rumor-combating. We also adopt elaboration likelihood model to explore the factors that could enhance this effectiveness. The empirical results show that perceptible (central route) factors, including the author’s authoritative combating methods, media richness, and positive emotions, are negatively related to temporal distance and are more effective for enhancing rumor-combating effectiveness than imperceptible (peripheral route) factors, such as the author’s influence and activeness. In addition, media richness exerts positive moderating effects on the relationship between perceptible route factors and rumor-combating effectiveness, implying that with the help of images or videos, rumor-combating effectiveness improves. This study addresses the need to enhance the effectiveness of rumor-combating and has practical implications for combating rumors in the social media.
Social media became the predominant medium for communicating, sharing updates, and monitoring other users. However, due to increasing use of social media, individuals might feel availability pressure to be online and production pressure to post content, which might result in negative consequences. The present study aims to disentangle the relationships between active social media use (private interactions), active public social media use (broadcasting), and passive social media use (monitoring) in relation to digital pressure and life satisfaction. The results of a two-wave panel survey with N = 415 late adolescents and young adults ( M age = 19.08, SD = 1.57, 58.31% female) reveal a longitudinal reciprocal relationship between active public use and production pressure. However, availability pressure positively predicts active social media use over time, suggesting increase in private interactions due to perceived peer’s expectations to be reachable over social media. In contrast, production pressure is related to lower active social media use, thus placing focus on active public broadcasting instead. Notwithstanding the reciprocal interplay between social media use and digital pressure, the present study does not demonstrate harmful consequences of digital pressure on life satisfaction.
With Instagram influencers holding significant sway over public perception, their presumed psychological impact on young adults has gathered public attention. It has been claimed that influencers, known for showcasing enviable lifestyles, have the potential to affect their followers’ well-being. However, these claims have been based on correlational data that focuses on diffused indicators of social media consumption rather than specific features of Instagram. This limits our insight into the direct effects of Instagram on well-being. We experimentally investigated the effects of a brief exposure to Instagram influencers on the well-being. Our results showed that viewing profiles of demographically similar social media influencers is sufficient to increase envy and upward social comparison but has negligible effects on self-esteem and well-being. However, after statistical adjustments are made, we found no evidence that exposure to influencer impacts well-being. Past claims that Instagram influences well-being may have been overstated.
Purpose
This study explores the role of digitalization, especially mobile apps, in expatriate cross-cultural adjustment. The role of digitalization is under-researched and under-recognized in the current literature on global mobility, but is becoming a significant factor in expatriate cross-cultural adjustment.
Design/methodology/approach
As the research is exploratory, it uses qualitative methods, specifically in-depth interviews and rigorous thematic analysis. It is based on 31 respondents from 16 higher education organizations across 10 cities in five provinces/municipalities in China, a country with one of the highest levels of digitalization in daily life.
Findings
The most significant finding is that mobile apps are central to expatriate cross-cultural adjustment in China. Such apps both enable adjustment if used actively and hinder adjustment significantly if resisted or not used effectively. However high motivation is required to cope with the incompatibility between the infrastructure of mobile apps in China and expatriates’ previous experiences.
Research limitations/implications
This study is based on expatriate academics in China, where digitalization is widespread and local apps rather than international apps are predominant. Hence expatriates may feel a greater impact of digitalization on daily life and work than in less digitalized societies. A major implication is that digitalization should be considered as a potentially significant factor in expatriate cross-cultural adjustment.
Practical implications
Host country governments, employers, app developers and expatriates, all need to consider the use of mobile apps in cross-cultural adjustment and retention of expatriates.
Originality/value
This study identifies the role of digitalization, especially mobile apps, in expatriate cross-cultural adjustment in a highly digitalized environment, which has not been recognized in previous research. It proposes the concept of “digital distance” that should be considered alongside “cultural distance” in the context of expatriate cross-cultural adjustment.
Purpose
The study aims to explore how young adults perceive cooking contents on social media and their interaction with it.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative study using semi structured interviews with Brazilian young adults who cook (19–24 years old, n = 31) was the method employed. Interview audio recordings were transcribed and submitted to inductive and reflexive thematic analysis.
Findings
Data analysis generated six different themes. Young adults valued the profiles’ aesthetics and quality in terms of straightforwardness, trustworthiness, novelty and authenticity of information; they also identified with the profiles’ authors. When pressed for time, aesthetics was less valued than straightforwardness. Participants felt overwhelmed by the excessive information on social media and developed coping strategies to deal with this issue.
Originality/value
The lack of cooking and food skills is a recognized barrier for healthy eating in the young adult population. Social media can play a prominent role in delivering cooking-related information to the younger generation, but research on people’s perceptions of the cooking content available online is scarce and does not focus on how actual engagement with the available content happens. This qualitative exploration revealed which features young adults prefer when using social media to access cooking content, which can inform future interventions to promote cooking and improve health.
Background: With increasing use of social networks among university learners, its role in communication channels in connectivists teaching context needs examination.
Aims: This study investigates the role of communication channels in social networks as learners engage in a negotiation simulation RPG.
Samples: The current study collects data from 20 groups of learners in a fully online modality where learners are engaged in the negotiation simulation RPG.
Methods: Set in a fully online class, using a RPG that requires high levels of communication among participants, communication channel use is measured. Behavior data tracks actions between groups in the learning RPG database, allowing social network analysis.
Results: Results show social network apps are most often used by learners for both intra and intergroup conversations. Surprisingly, increased inter-group communication does not always improve learner performance in a connectivist setting. Instead, each additional communication quickly improves performance up to a certain point. After that point, more communication does not necessarily lead to better performance.
Conclusion: Instructors and administrators need to find ways to welcome technology platforms, like social media, into the classroom. However, social media platforms are in no way designed to fit a specific class and bring their own set of issues that can run counter to the class goals or instructional methods.
The current research aimed to reveal the effect of using Magic School AI training on enhancing teaching self-efficacy and reducing formation overload among Arabic language teachers· An experimental methodology involved developing and accessing a twelve-session training program· The psychometric properties of the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale and the perceived information overload scale in the Arabic environment were also verified· Two homogeneous groups of 30 Arabic language teachers each were selected, one experimental and the other control· The results demonstrated the effectiveness of the training program in enhancing teaching self-efficacy and reducing information overload· The current research highlights the importance of integrating AI applications into the training process, facilitating digital transformation and adaptation to rapid technological changes·
Background
There is growing evidence in Europe such as Germany and American discovered that the internet has beneficial effects on the mental health of older people (aged ≥ 60 years); however, the evidence is inconclusive, and the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood.
Objective
The aim of this cross-sectional survey was to understand the patterns of internet use and measure their associations with the risk of depression in China from two dimensions: the reasons for using the internet use and types of devices used. In addition, this study explored the relationship between internet use and depression risk in elderly people at the individual and provincial levels and in rural and urban subgroups.
Methods
The survey of CHARLS used a multistage probability-proportional-to-size (PPS) sampling technique. Province-level socioeconomic characteristics were merged with microdata for respondents over 60 years of age from the 2020 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS 2020) Wave 5 (n = 10,036) by author. The respondents were asked whether they used the internet, their reasons for using the internet and the types of internet devices used. Risk of depression was assessed using the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D 10). The chi-square test was used to explore whether internet use was associated with mental health status. A binary logistic regression model was used to evaluate this association further after controlling for confounding factors.
Results
Overall, 24.2% (2426/10036) of the participants over 60 years of age reported using the internet. Regression analyses revealed that older adults who used the internet (OR = 0.723, 95% CI: 0.607–0.863, p < .001) had a lower risk of depression than did those who did not use the internet. In addition, older adults who were female (P < .005), were single (P < .001), lived in a rural area (P < .001), had poor self-rated health (SRH) (P < .001), had no retirement pension (P < .001) had a greater risk of depression. For province-level characteristics, older adults who lived in provinces in the first quartile (P < .005) of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita were more likely to experience depressive symptoms while the number of beds in medical institutions per 10,000 persons shows no effect. In the binary logistic regression analysis of the urban and rural subgroups separately, the results are indicated Internet use was negatively associated with risks of depression, especially in rural(P < .001) but not in urban(P = .095) participants. And none of the participants in the rural subgroup reported using a laptop.
Conclusions
Internet use had a positive effect on depression, especially in rural but not in urban participants. And the rate of ownership of internet devices also remains low among older Chinese people in rural area. Therefore, rural-urban disparities should be considered when designing strategies to encourage moderate Internet use.
An increased use of technologies and large numbers of students in universities led to e-learning and distance learning to redress the past injustices of exclusions for the disadvantaged groups in South Africa. e-Learning and distance learning also accommodated those who were unable to afford accommodation at institutional residences, by being inclusive. The approach of universities to address teachers’ dependence on the traditional face-to-face lecture method and the drastic switch to e-learning demanded certain types of knowledge, and teachers` readiness and willingness to embark on e-pedagogies. e-Pedagogics are currently applied even in previously disadvantaged universities to respond to pandemics such as Covid-19. Electronic pedagogies call for specific knowledge of technological pedagogic content that calls for teacher efficacy in technology. Many universities were not involved in online teaching and learning before Covid-19, and online teaching must take student preferences and the capacity of teachers into consider. The main question is: Are teachers adequately capacitated, efficacious and ready for e-pedagogies to cater for student-centred learning? Traditional pedagogies do not seem to address the current changes necessary to reduce stress caused in online environments. However, the outbreak of Covid-19 forced all universities to change drastically from face-to-face teaching and learning to online settings. e-Pedagogies should be effective and appropriate to suit the changing trend of online environments and attempt to improve student participation and satisfaction. All these changes require building the capacity of lecturers to design inclusive, collaborative and efficient, synchronous and asynchronous learning environments using computer platforms. These online environments forced classroom environments to change from being teacher-centered to student-centred.
The perfect combination of social media and business models has completely reshaped the traditional shopping experience of people for fashion and luxury brands. Social commerce has become a major driver for the digital transformation of brand marketing. To create a virtual reality and immersive shopping experience for increasingly young consumers, enterprises often make use of various social media communication platforms and continually release live short videos for product introduction and reviews online. By providing conceptual clarification and definitions of social media, social networking site, and enterprise social media (ESM), this chapter proposes a corporate managerial perspective of operating ESM tools based on the technical features. In addition, the benefits and risks of the strategic use of ESM platforms for marketing context are stated. For chief marketing officers, this research provides theoretical references and managerial suggestions on how to build close relationships with internal and external stakeholders within an ESM sphere, as well as improve innovative activities to deliver corporate culture and brand value of fashion industry.
Research in the Well-being studies suggests that passive social networking sites use has a significant negative effect on the users well-being and the impact is mediated by the social comparison and Fear of Missing Out(FoMO) (Verduyn, 2015). The study reexamines the path suggested, during the Covid-19 crisis by quantitatively examining the Impact of passive Instagram use on the psychological well-being and the mediating roles of social comparison and FoMO of Emerging Indian Female Adults aged 18 to 25 years who are at a critical stage of personality development [1] during the second wave of the covid-19 pandemic. The results of the study deviate from the path suggested [2] and While social comparison does not predict passive Instagram usage, FoMO predicts social comparison and mediates social comparison and psychological well-being during the pandemic.
Smartphones are essential for many university students, but such devices can have adverse consequences for their cognitive health. Previous studies discovered a significant association between problematic smartphone use (PSU) and daily cognitive failures. The present study investigated the underlying mechanisms of this association, through the mediating effects of sleep quality and academic stress. In total, 189 university students completed an online questionnaire. The study showed that PSU was a significant predictor of daily cognitive failures. However, only academic stress partially mediated the relationship between PSU and daily cognitive failures. The results imply that preventing academic stress may improve the cognitive performance of problematic smartphone users.
Web crawling plays a crucial role in information
retrieval and data mining applications. Focused web crawling,
in particular, aims to retrieve relevant and specific information
from the vast and continuously evolving web. This paper
explores optimization techniques for focused web crawlers,
focusing on strategies to improve efficiency, precision, and
coverage. We discuss various algorithms and approaches that
enhance the crawling process, such as seed selection,
prioritization, crawling frontier management, and content
relevance analysis. Additionally, we present related papers on
the topic for further exploration.
Although prior studies have to some extent clarified the mechanism underlying the development of social media burnout, the present study contributes to the literature by showing how social media addiction contributes to this phenomenon. Chinese university students (N = 519) completed self-report questionnaires on social media addiction, social media burnout, envy, and social media use anxiety. The results showed that addiction, envy, and social media use anxiety were all significant predictors of burnout. Moreover, envy and social media use anxiety mediated the relationship between social media addiction and burnout, both in parallel and as a pair in series. Considering the negative effect of social media burnout such as depression, the findings may provide new path to understand the detrimental of excessive use of social media toward corresponding psychological outcomes.
This paper explores compulsive use of YouTube by university students and investigates how the uses and gratifications perspective and the personality perspective work together to explain compulsive use of the social medium. It compares the effects of motivation to use YouTube for information with motivation to use the platform for entertainment, and examines how the different motivational effects compare with those of personality. It also explores the influence of compulsive use of YouTube on academic motivation. Data from 807 students at a Malaysian university were analysed using hierarchical multiple regression. Stronger motivation to use YouTube for information and learning is associated with lower compulsive use, while stronger motivation to use YouTube for entertainment is associated with higher compulsive use. Entertainment motivation has a stronger effect than information motivation. Although tendency to compulsive use differs with personality traits, the motivation effects are independent of personality. Compulsive YouTube use negatively influences academic motivation. While educators can take risks of compulsive use into account when they propose YouTube resources to their students, information literacy education and training can play an additional role in risk reduction by alerting social media users to the risks of compulsive use and helping them to develop self-management strategies.
Smartphones offer multimedia convergence in a single device, ubiquitous access to media, and constant connections with others. The rapid rise of smartphone use calls for more scholarly attention paid to users’ media usage and time expenditure. This study aims to (a) understand smartphone usage patterns by examining time spent using smartphones and task switching between mobile applications (apps), and (b) test the validity of self-reported measures of these behaviors by comparing self-reports with log data from the smartphone. Data were collected from 50 participants over 1 week. Results show that on average participants spent 2 hours 39 minutes on their smartphone and made 101 app switches per day. Among other findings, social networking was the most used app category, age was a significant demographic factor, and participants, especially heavy smartphone users, overestimated their mobile app usage. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Background
YouTube, the online video creation and sharing site, supports both video content viewing and content creation activities. For a minority of people, the time spent engaging with YouTube can be excessive and potentially problematic.
Method
This study analyzed the relationship between content viewing, content creation, and YouTube addiction in a survey of 410 Indian-student YouTube users. It also examined the influence of content, social, technology, and process gratifications on user inclination toward YouTube content viewing and content creation.
Results
The results demonstrated that content creation in YouTube had a closer relationship with YouTube addiction than content viewing. Furthermore, social gratification was found to have a significant influence on both types of YouTube activities, whereas technology gratification did not significantly influence them. Among all perceived gratifications, content gratification had the highest relationship coefficient value with YouTube content creation inclination. The model fit and variance extracted by the endogenous constructs were good, which further validated the results of the analysis.
Conclusion
The study facilitates new ways to explore user gratification in using YouTube and how the channel responds to it.
Multiscreening has been shown to affect consumers' brand attitudes and their memory of advertisements. However, little is known about the prevalence of using multiple screens simultaneously. The aim of this study is to provide insight into multiscreening by examining its prevalence, the composition of screens, and who is likely to multiscreen. A diary study with a representative sample of the Dutch population (n = 2,399) was conducted. First, the results showed that almost 60% of the participants multiscreened at least once. They multiscreened on average three days a week, mostly on Sundays, and on average more than 80 minutes per day. Second, the most prevalent screen combinations were TV-smartphone, TV-laptop, and TV-tablet. Third, multiscreeners were on average 41 years old, predominantly female, have a higher than average education, and own on average more than four screens. Finally, it was found that, in general, younger participants multiscreened longer than older participants.
As the Internet provides massive amounts of heterogeneous information, people may perceive this medium as challenging. The difficulty to evaluate and select relevant information increases as more and more diverse sources and content are available. Information overload (IO) may be the consequence. The research presented here gives a first comprehensive overview of possible indicators for IO in the context of online news exposure. Based on an online survey (N = 419) we found that younger people with less information-seeking self-efficacy were more susceptible to experience IO. Additionally, we identified motivations for media consumption and information retrieval strategies in the Internet that
The proliferation of smartphones and their use in almost every social situation has led to controversial discussions about the smartphone’s potential impact on stress and recovery of its users. Some research has found detrimental effects of permanent availability and connectivity, other studies hint at beneficial effects resulting from users taking minibreaks from work. As there is some evidence for a recovery potential of mass media in general, the current study extends this line of research by examining whether smartphones also have such potential. To that end, we investigated the effects of smartphone use in fatiguing situations on recovery experiences and cognitive performance. After a fatigue-induction task, participants were observed in a waiting situation in order to check whether they used their mobile devices. Afterwards, data on their recovery experiences and cognitive performance were collected. The results demonstrate that smartphone use can be beneficial for some recovery dimensions but also detrimental for others. Smartphone use was positively related to cognitive performance, mediated through experiences of control. Results are discussed regarding the consequences of new mobile technologies and their potential to stay permanently Internet-connected.
Introduction
While increased time spent on social media (TSSM) has been associated with depression and anxiety, the independent role of using multiple social media (SM) platforms is unclear.
Methods
We surveyed a nationally-representative sample of 1787 U.S. young adults ages 19–32. Depression and anxiety symptoms were measured using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS). We assessed use of multiple SM platforms with an adapted Pew Internet Research scale. We used ordered logistic regression models to assess associations between use of multiple SM platforms and mental health outcomes while controlling for eight covariates, including overall TSSM.
Results
Compared to those who used 0–2 social media platforms, participants who used 7–11 social media platforms had substantially higher odds of having increased levels of both depression (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 3.0, 95% CI = 1.9–4.8) and anxiety symptoms (AOR = 3.2, 95% CI = 2.0–5.1). Associations were linear (p < 0.001 for all) and robust to all sensitivity analyses.
Conclusions
Use of multiple SM platforms is independently associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety, even when controlling for overall TSSM. These associations are strong enough that it may be valuable for clinicians to ask individuals with depression and anxiety about multiple platform use and to counsel regarding this potential contributing factor.
The present study investigated the psychological health effects and motivational origins of digital stress based on a representative survey of 1,557 German Internet users between 14 and 85 years of age. Communication load resulting from private e-mails and social media messages as well as Internet multitasking were positively related to perceived stress and had significant indirect effects on burnout, depression, and anxiety. Perceived social pressure and the fear of missing out on information and social interaction were key drivers of communication load and Internet multitasking. Age significantly moderated the health effects of digital stress as well as the motivational drivers of communication load and Internet multitasking. The results, thus, underline the need to address digital stress from a life span perspective.
Abstract The use of Snapchat – a time-limited instant messaging service – has been rapidly rising amongst adolescents. However, the exact nature of Snapchat use remains difficult to examine due to the self-destructive nature of content sent and received via this service. We report an online survey conducted with the use of a memory sampling method to enquire about the specific details of the very last image or video each participant sent and received via Snapchat. We found that users mainly share ‘selfies’, typically embed text and ‘doodles’ with photos they share, use it mostly at home, and primarily for communication with close friends and family as an ‘easier and funnier’ alternative to other instant messaging services. We also found that high intensity of Snapchat use was more associated with bonding rather than bridging social capital. We discuss those findings in the context of existing studies on the use of instant messaging services and social networking sites.
Purpose
– Many video sharing sites (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo, and Break) host user-generated video content in the hopes of attracting viewers and thus profits. Therefore, continuous use and video sharing behavior on the part of site users is critical to the continue enjoyment of other users and to the video service providers business. The purpose of this paper is to provide an improved understanding of what motivates internet users to share videos and spend more time on video sharing web sites.
Design/methodology/approach
– The authors propose a research model based on Uses and Gratification Theory and on Social Cognitive Theory, incorporating key determinants of web site stickiness. An online survey instrument was developed to gather data, and 265 questionnaires were used to test the relationships in the model.
Findings
– The causal model was validated using SmartPLS 2.0, and 14 out of 18 study hypotheses were supported. The results indicated that continuance motivation and sharing behavior were important antecedents of YouTube stickiness and mediated the influence of need, personal, and environmental factors.
Practical implications
– The proposed framework can be used by online video service providers to develop a platform that satisfies user needs and to enhance sharing intention.
Originality/value
– The study provides a comprehensive framework of the antecedents and effects of continuance motivation and sharing behavior on video sharing web sites.
This study examined the relationship between the number of communication technologies used for social interactions (i.e., multimodal connectedness) and well-being across the lifespan. Consistent with the assumptions of media multiplexity, multimodal connectedness and frequency of strong-tie communication enhanced well-being, but only for older-age cohorts (35–54 and 55–70+). For young adults (18–34), multimodal connectedness and frequency of weak-tie communication diminished well-being. The findings are framed in terms of differing motives for maintaining social relations across the lifespan, as maintenance of relationships with strong ties become more important and the number of weak ties contract as people age.
Both positive and negative impacts of specific social media channels have been identified, but their cumulative impacts across media and across cultures have not been examined. A connection overload path model was developed from data gathered in Ireland, the United States, and Korea. The magnitude of connection demands reduced negative affect, while connection habits reduced negative outcomes and negative affect. Difficulties controlling connection habits were related to negative impacts on important life activities, stress, and affect. Cultural differences were interpreted through the individualism-collectivism framework. Collectivists may be buffered from mechanisms that can adversely impact psychological well-being.
Structural equation modeling (SEM) is a vast field and widely used by many applied researchers in the social and behavioral sciences. Over the years, many software pack-ages for structural equation modeling have been developed, both free and commercial. However, perhaps the best state-of-the-art software packages in this field are still closed-source and/or commercial. The R package lavaan has been developed to provide applied researchers, teachers, and statisticians, a free, fully open-source, but commercial-quality package for latent variable modeling. This paper explains the aims behind the develop-ment of the package, gives an overview of its most important features, and provides some examples to illustrate how lavaan works in practice.
The rapid growth and transmission of information in the digital age poses new challenges for individuals coping with the onslaught of communications from multiple sources. This research (a) conceptualizes and measures perceived information overload from cyber-based and place-based sources, (b) tests the reliability and validity of a newly developed Perceived Information Overload Scale, and (c) tests hypotheses concerning the psychological and health outcomes of information overload. A repeated-measures panel study design was used to test the proposed hypotheses. Confirmatory factor analyses provided support for the hypothesized two-factor model of perceived information overload, encompassing cyber-based and place-based sources of stimulation. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that higher levels of perceived cyber-based overload significantly predicted self-reports of greater stress, poorer health, and less time devoted to contemplative activities, controlling for age, gender, ethnicity, and baseline measures of stress and health status. Participants’ sensation-seeking levels were found to significantly moderate the relationships between cyber-based, place-based, and composite perceived information overload and stress. Directions for further study are discussed.
This paper investigates differences in overtime processing of television messages with three types of emotional trajectories—those which begin neutral and become negative, begin neutral and become positive and begin neutral and become equally positive and negative. The limited capacity model of motivated mediated message processing is used to predict how the type of emotional content influences real-time activation of the appetitive and aversive motivational systems which then alter concurrent and subsequent message processing. Results show that during the first time period, when motivational activation is low, more resources are allocated to coactive and positive compared to negative messages supporting the positivity offset hypothesis. In the middle time period, when activation is moderate, more resources are allocated to negative than to positive messages, supporting the negativity bias hypothesis. Further, the different patterns of motivational activation do result in different patterns of messages processing. During positive messages, encoding increases and storage decreases over time. During negative messages, encoding decreases and storage increases overtime. During coactive messages initial encoding and storage are high though both decrease slightly over time.
Publisher Summary
This chapter discusses the theoretical and empirical literature that addresses aging and discourse comprehension. A series of five studies guided by a particular working memory viewpoint regarding the formation of inferences during discourse processing is described in the chapter. Compensatory strategies may be used with different degrees of likelihood across the life span largely as a function of efficiency with which inhibitory mechanisms function because these largely determine the facility with which memory can be searched. The consequences for discourse comprehension in particular may be profound because the establishment of a coherent representation of a message hinges on the timely retrieval of information necessary to establish coreference among certain critical ideas. Discourse comprehension is an ideal domain for assessing limited capacity frameworks because most models of discourse processing assume that multiple components, demanding substantially different levels of cognitive resources, are involved. For example, access to a lexical representation from either a visual array or an auditory message is virtually capacity free.
This study examines the impact of using different sequences of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to deliver repeated messages in the context of an interpersonal influence attempt. Supporting portions of ICT succession theory (Stephens, 2007), the findings suggest that, compared to using the same ICT, using complementary ICTs to deliver a repeated message increases perceptions of information effectiveness and behavioral intentions. A path model was tested to further explore the influence of complementary ICT use.The results suggest that the use of complementary ICTs functions by mitigating perceptions of overload and, in turn, increasing perceived information effectiveness, attitudes, and behavioral intentions.
Abstract Studies on the mental health implications of social media have generated mixed results. Drawing on a survey of college students (N=513), this research uses structural equation modeling to assess the relationship between Facebook interaction and psychological distress and two underlying mechanisms: communication overload and self-esteem. It is the first study, to our knowledge, that examines how communication overload mediates the mental health implications of social media. Frequent Facebook interaction is associated with greater distress directly and indirectly via a two-step pathway that increases communication overload and reduces self-esteem. The research sheds light on new directions for understanding psychological well-being in an increasingly mediated social world as users share, like, and comment more and more.
An experiment with 182 undergraduates investigated the effect of chronic category accessibility on impression formation and recall under information overload and nonoverload conditions. Ss read about a person who behaved mainly honestly but sometimes dishonestly or about a mainly dishonest person who sometimes behaved honestly. Ss were divided into overload and nonoverload groups. In the nonoverload condition, Ss were given control over the presentation rate of the individual behavioral descriptions. These Ss formed an impression of the person during information acquisition and gave more processing to and had better free recall of the minority than the majority behaviors. In the overload condition, Ss were given only enough time to read each behavior once before the next was presented. Under these conditions, Ss with a chronically accessible category for honesty still formed an impression and had better recall of minority than majority behaviors, whereas Ss without such an accessible category did not. Implications for the generalizability of the person memory model, which was discussed by both R. Hastie (1980) and T. K. Srull (1981, 1984), and the conditions under which social judgments will and will not be based on memory are discussed. (57 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Abstract News producers continue to increase their volume of production and delivery platforms in an effort to reach and maintain news consumers. However, consumers may not necessarily find more news desirable. Previous studies have suggested that information surplus can lead to negative outcomes for consumers, but research of outcomes related to news production and consumption has been scant. This study explores novel areas of news surplus and overload, empirically examining factors associated with the degree of perceived overload across a broad spectrum of news delivery platforms. The findings reveal that the majority of today's news consumers feel overloaded with the amount of news they are confronted with. Gender, news interest, and the use of specific news platforms and outlets predict the degree of that overload. News access through platforms and outlets such as computers, e-readers, and Facebook is positively associated with overload, whereas other platforms such as television and the iPhone are negatively associated with overload. Implications for media psychology and news consumption are discussed.
The measurement of media exposure is essential to not only traditional audience research, but also media effects research which relies on accurate estimates of media exposure. Even in the age of digital trace data and passive audience measurement, the workhorse of basically all communication research is self-report data. This article presents a meta-analysis of the reliability and temporal stability of media exposure self-reports in 33 panel studies. Results from a Bayesian multilevel analysis show that self-reported media exposure was moderately reliable (0.69, 90% HDI: 0.65, 0.72) and highly stable (0.90, 90% HDI: 0.88, 0.92). In line with previous studies, the reliability of media exposure measures was higher in adult samples (0.72, 90% HDI: 0.69, 0.76) compared to adolescents (0.60, 90% HDI: 0.53, 0.66). Rank-order stability of media exposure was comparable in adult (0.91, 90% HDI: 0.89, 0.93) and adolescent samples (0.85, 90% HDI: 0.81, 0.90). Moderation analyses showed that self-reported exposure to specific outlets was more reliable than general media use in adult samples. Media-specific differences in reliability were only found in adolescent samples. Overall, moderate reliability in combination with high temporal stability poses important challenges for scholars investigating causes and consequences of media exposure.
Quantifying the ubiquitous, ephemeral, and highly diverse patterns of mobile social media (MSM) use is a challenge for communication research. Most researchers employ retrospective survey measurement, thus depending on the accuracy of users’ memories and generalizations. Alternatively, some researchers rely on in-situ measurement, being less dependent on users’ memories and generalizations, but requiring random situation samples. To assess differences and similarities between these two measurement approaches we analyzed whether characteristics (duration and frequency of a usage episode, habit, elaboration, and gratifications) of MSM use (regarding Facebook, WhatsApp, and YouTube) vary between retrospective survey and mobile experience sampling measurement. We observe a consistent pattern of higher estimates in retrospect as compared to individual averages of in-situ reports. The absolute magnitude of these differences varies considerably between platforms and characteristics studied. Nonetheless, for most constructs and platforms we find low significant positive correlations between retrospective and aggregated in-situ values.
The empirical science of subjective well-being, popularly referred to as happiness or satisfaction, has grown enormously in the past decade. In this Review, we selectively highlight and summarize key researched areas that continue to develop. We describe the validity of measures and their potential biases, as well as the scientific methods used in this field. We describe some of the predictors of subjective well-being such as temperament, income and supportive social relationships. Higher subjective well-being has been associated with good health and longevity, better social relationships, work performance and creativity. At the community and societal levels, cultures differ not only in their levels of well-being but also to some extent in the types of subjective well-being they most value. Furthermore, there are both universal and unique predictors of subjective well-being in various societies. National accounts of subjective well-being to help inform policy decisions at the community and societal levels are now being considered and adopted. Finally we discuss the unknowns in the science and needed future research.
Pervasive social media access has induced excessive technology use that can lead to overload, which may produce negative psychological and behavioral consequences for people who suffer from it. Drawing on the S-O-R framework, we develop a research model to explore the effect of overload on the discontinuous intention of social media users, and propose three types of overload in the social media context: information, communication, and social overloads. They are assumed to impact the internal psychological states (i.e., exhaustion and regret) of users, which in turn motivate them to quit. An empirical study of 258 Chinese social media users provides general support for our hypotheses. However, the impact of information overload on regret is insignificant; the relationship between communication overload and exhaustion is also insignificant. The theoretical and practical implications of this study are discussed.
Purpose
Despite the ongoing shift from text-based to image-based communication in the social web, supported by the affordances of smartphones, little is known about the new image sharing practices. Both gender and platform type seem likely to be important, but it is unclear how.
Design/methodology/approach
This article surveys an age-balanced sample of UK Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and WhatsApp image sharers with a range of exploratory questions about platform use, privacy, interactions, technology use and profile pictures.
Findings
Females shared photos more often overall and shared images more frequently on Snapchat, but males shared more images on Twitter, particularly for hobbies. Females also tended to have more privacy-related concerns but were more willing, in principle, to share pictures of their children. Females also interacted more through others’ images by liking and commenting on them. Both genders used supporting apps but in different ways: females applied filters and posted to albums whereas males retouched photos and used photo organising apps. Finally, males were more likely to be alone in their profile pictures.
Practical implications
Those designing visual social web communication strategies to reach out to users should consider the different ways in which platforms are used by males and females to optimise their message for their target audience.
Originality/value
This is the first detailed survey of electronic image sharing practices and the first to systematically compare the current generation of platforms.
In today’s always-connected world people have an ever-increasing array of ways to stay in touch, often selecting among multiple media that allow for different degrees of attention (e.g., phone calls vs. texting) and may vary in convenience for their interaction partner. In this environment, people must manage their attention to each other. Recent work suggests attention management can be considered as a dyadic negotiation process in which people are continually acting to display their own focus of attention and gather information about others’ focus of attention, and may seek to increase or decrease the current level of attention from their partner. To explore attention management and negotiation on mobile devices, we built a custom application to track people’s SMS and phone call activity. Drawing on log and transcript data, we use qualitative and quantitative methods to explore the details of attention management behavior within specific relationships for a few participants, and then used hierarchical clustering to identify different patterns of attention management in relationships of varying tie strength. Results suggest that attention is managed both implicitly and explicitly, with explicit negotiation more likely when there are conflicts. There are also substantial differences in interaction patterns by tie strength, with phone calls and shorter text response times more common for weaker ties.
Previous work has shown that older adults attend to and implicitly remember more distracting information than young adults; however, it is unknown whether they show a corresponding decrease in implicit memory for targets in the presence of distracters. Using implicit memory tests, we asked whether older adults show a tradeoff in memory between targets and distracters. Here, young and older adults performed a selective attention task in which they were instructed to attend to target pictures and ignore superimposed distracter words. We measured priming for distracter words using fragment completion and for target pictures using naming time. Older adults showed greater priming for distracting words compared to young adults, but equivalent priming for target pictures. These results suggest that older adults have a broader attentional scope than young adults, encompassing both relevant and irrelevant information.
Rationale:
Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide. The suggested association between social media use (SMU) and depression may be explained by the emerging maladaptive use pattern known as problematic social media use (PSMU), characterized by addictive components.
Objective:
We aimed to assess the association between PSMU and depressive symptoms-controlling for overall time and frequency of SMU-among a large sample of U.S. young adults.
Methods:
In October 2014, participants aged 19-32 (N = 1749) were randomly selected from a nationally-representative U.S. probability-based panel and subsequently invited to participate in an online survey. We assessed depressive symptoms using the validated Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) brief depression scale. We measured PSMU using an adapted version of the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale to encompass broader SMU. Using logistic regression models, we tested the association between PSMU and depressive symptoms, controlling for time and frequency of SMU as well as a comprehensive set of socio-demographic covariates.
Results:
In the multivariable model, PSMU was significantly associated with a 9% increase in odds of depressive symptoms (AOR [adjusted odds ratio] = 1.09; 95% CI [confidence interval]: 1.05, 1.13; p < 0.001.) Increased frequency of SMU was also significantly associated with increased depressive symptoms, whereas SMU time was not (AOR = 1.01; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.01; p = 0.001 and AOR = 1.00; 95% CI: 0.999-1.001; p = 0.43, respectively).
Conclusion:
PSMU was strongly and independently associated with increased depressive symptoms in this nationally-representative sample of young adults. PSMU largely explained the association between SMU and depressive symptom, suggesting that it may be how we use social media, not how much, that poses a risk. Intervention efforts aimed at reducing depressive symptoms, such as screenings for maladaptive SMU, may be most successful if they address addictive components and frequency-rather than time-of SMU.
The rapid evolution of information and mobile technologies enables consumers to use media content whenever and wherever they want. These developments have resulted in a new form of target audience behavior called “media multitasking.” Media multitasking describes simultaneous exposure to two or more types of media content. Extant research on this subject concentrates on the influence of media multitasking on message comprehension and recall for editorial content (i.e., TV programs). To date, limited research has examined whether simultaneous exposure to two advertisements on two devices benefits or harms message effectiveness. The current research attempts to fill this research gap by investigating the effect of media multitasking with TV and mobile Internet advertisements on message effectiveness. In particular, an online experiment confirms the assumption that media multitasking harms message effectiveness. Contrary to the theoretically derived hypotheses, it does not matter whether consumers are exposed to the same or different advertising messages during media multitasking situations. The consideration of two moderating variables—gender and media multitasking frequency—offers further insights into the individual factors that affect message effectiveness during simultaneous versus sequential media exposure.
Although the time adolescents spend with digital technologies has sparked widespread concerns that their use might be negatively associated with mental well-being, these potential deleterious influences have not been rigorously studied. Using a preregistered plan for analyzing data collected from a representative sample of English adolescents ( n = 120,115), we obtained evidence that the links between digital-screen time and mental well-being are described by quadratic functions. Further, our results showed that these links vary as a function of when digital technologies are used (i.e., weekday vs. weekend), suggesting that a full understanding of the impact of these recreational activities will require examining their functionality among other daily pursuits. Overall, the evidence indicated that moderate use of digital technology is not intrinsically harmful and may be advantageous in a connected world. The findings inform recommendations for limiting adolescents' technology use and provide a template for conducting rigorous investigations into the relations between digital technology and children's and adolescents' health.
“Internet Gaming Disorder” (IGD) was included as a “Condition for Further Study” in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Frequent gamers have previously been shown to exhibit core symptoms of addiction, along with significant impairments in psychosocial functioning. However, there remains a lack of consensus regarding the conceptualization and assessment of video game addiction. We examined the utility of nine questions (Cronbach's α = 0.64), based directly on proposed DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for IGD, in capturing problems related to excess use of online video games. Regular video game users (n = 257) completed an online questionnaire assessing demographics, symptoms of IGD, general psychopathology, life satisfaction, self-esteem, and impulsivity. Participants meeting criteria for IGD (8.7%, n = 21) played video games significantly more often (p = 0.04) and for more hours at a time (p = 0.002), and experienced significantly greater subjective urges to use video games (p < 0.001). Furthermore, those with IGD endorsed significantly more symptoms of depression (p < 0.001), anxiety (p < 0.001), and stress (p = 0.01), lower life satisfaction (p < 0.001), and elevated motor (p = 0.02) and attentional impulsivity (p = 0.01). Proposed DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for IGD appear to capture a clinically meaningful cluster of symptoms that is associated with marked impairments in multiple aspects of psychosocial functioning.
The emergence of social media has changed individuals' information consumption patterns. The purpose of this study is to explore the role of information overload, similarity, and redundancy in unsubscribing information sources from users' information repertoires. In doing so, we randomly selected nearly 7,500 ego networks on Twitter and tracked their activities in 2 waves. A multilevel logistic regression model was deployed to test our hypotheses. Results revealed that individuals (egos) obtain information by following a group of stable users (alters). An ego's likelihood of unfollowing alters is negatively associated with their information similarity, but is positively associated with both information overload and redundancy. Furthermore, relational factors can modify the impact of information redundancy on unfollowing.
Online social networking sites (SNSs) such as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace are used by billions of people every day to communicate and interact with others. There has been increasing interest in the potential impact of online social networking on wellbeing, with a broadening body of new research into factors associated with both positive and negative mental health outcomes such as depression. This systematic review of empirical studies (n = 30) adds to existing research in this field by examining current quantitative studies focused on the relationship between online social networking and symptoms of depression. The academic databases PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and EMBASE were searched systematically using terms related to online social networking and depression. Reporting quality was critically appraised and the findings discussed with reference to their wider implications. The findings suggest that the relationship between online social networking and symptoms of depression may be complex and associated with multiple psychological, social, behavioral, and individual factors. Furthermore, the impact of online social networking on wellbeing may be both positive and negative, highlighting the need for future research to determine the impact of candidate mediators and moderators underlying these heterogeneous outcomes across evolving networks.
An extensive literature shows that social relationships influence psychological well-being, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We test predictions about online interactions and well-being made by theories of belongingness, relationship maintenance, relational investment, social support, and social comparison. An opt-in panel study of 1,910 Facebook users linked self-reported measures of well-being to counts of respondents' Facebook activities from server logs. Specific uses of the site were associated with improvements in well-being: Receiving targeted, composed communication from strong ties was associated with improvements in well-being while viewing friends' wide-audience broadcasts and receiving one-click feedback were not. These results suggest that people derive benefits from online communication, as long it comes from people they care about and has been tailored for them.
Statistical Methods for Communication Science is the only statistical methods volume currently available that focuses exclusively on statistics in communication research. Writing in a straightforward, personal style, author Andrew F. Hayes offers this accessible and thorough introduction to statistical methods, starting with the fundamentals of measurement and moving on to discuss such key topics as sampling procedures, probability, reliability, hypothesis testing, simple correlation and regression, and analyses of variance and covariance. Hayes takes readers through each topic with clear explanations and illustrations. He provides a multitude of examples, all set in the context of communication research, thus engaging readers directly and helping them to see the relevance and importance of statistics to the field of communication. Highlights of this text include: * thorough and balanced coverage of topics; * integration of classical methods with modern "resampling" approaches to inference; * consideration of practical, "real world" issues; * numerous examples and applications, all drawn from communication research; * up-to-date information, with examples justifying use of various techniques; and * a CD with macros, data sets, figures, and additional materials. This unique book can be used as a stand-alone classroom text, a supplement to traditional research methods texts, or a useful reference manual. It will be invaluable to students, faculty, researchers, and practitioners in communication, and it will serve to advance the understanding and use of statistical methods throughout the discipline. © 2005 by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. All rights reserved.
In an always connected communication environment, users of social networking services (SNSs) need to pay continuous attention to the overwhelming volume of social demands from SNSs. These increased energy requirements may cause SNS fatigue, which can lead to physical and psychological strain. Using the transactional theory of stress and coping as the overarching theory, this study regards overload (i.e., stressors) as a core determinant of SNS fatigue (i.e., strain) and identifies three dimensions of overload – information overload, communication overload, and system feature overload. It also includes SNS characteristics as the antecedents of overload.
The data used in this study were collected from 201 individuals through online and offline surveys. Our results show that all three dimensions of overload were significant stressors that influence SNS fatigue. Regarding the predictors of overload, the characteristics of the SNS system significantly influenced the features of system overload, while information equivocality positively influences information overload. However, information relevance was not a significant predictor of information overload and information equivocality was not a significant predictor of communication overload.
Mobile phone multitasking is widely considered to be a major source of distraction in academic performance. This paper attempts to review the emerging literature by focusing on three questions concerning the influence of mobile phone multitasking on academic performance: (a) How does mobile phone multitasking impair learning? (b) Why does mobile phone use impair learning? (c) How to prevent from mobile phone distraction? We use multiple strategies to locate the existing research literature and identified 132 studies published during 1999-2014. The mobile phone multitasking and distractibility are reviewed in three major aspects: distraction sources (ring of mobile phone, texting, and social application), distraction targets (reading and attending), and distraction subjects (personality, gender, and culture). We also compare the results of these studies with the findings on mobile phone multitasking and driving, the earliest area of mobile phone multitasking research. Both limitations of existing research and future research directions are discussed.
To the Editor—
Although we welcome discussion of the relative merits of different research criteria for Psy chiatric diagnosis, the article by Drs Overall and Hollister in the Archives (36:1198-1205, 1979) "Comparative Evaluation of Research Diagnostic Criteria for Schizophrenia" troubles us for several reasons. First of all, the authors do not address the issue of the different purposes of various sets of research diagnostic criteria. Whereas the purpose of the actuarial approach taken by Drs Overall and Hollister is to simulate competent or expert clinical practice, the purpose of the Washington University criteria, research diagnostic criteria (RDC), and DSMIII criteria is to improve usual clinical practice by incorporating into the criteria distinctions that have been shown by research study to have some validity in terms of such variables as course, response to specific therapy, familial pattern, etc. Given this difference in purpose, it is hardly adequate to approach the evaluation
This study measured arousal responses to multitasking by recording switches between content on personal computers over a day. Results showed that switches occurred every 19 seconds, more often than has been reported in previous research. Arousal was highest at the point of a switch with declines in skin conductance afterward. Switches were also preceded by a 12-second period of increasing skin conductance. 2 new methods were used, one an original application that recorded screen shots, and another that measured changes in skin conductance during the day using a wrist sensor. Results are discussed in light of increasing use of single devices displaying multiple types of content, rather than multitasking that occurs when attention is divided between content on multiple devices.
Approximately 40% of mobile phone use studies published in scholarly communication journals base their findings on self-report data about how frequently respondents use their mobile phones. Using a subset of a larger representative sample we examine the validity of this type of self-report data by comparing it to server log data. The self-report data correlate only moderately with the server log data, indicating low criterion validity. The categorical self-report measure asking respondents to estimate “how often” they use their mobile phones fared better than the continuous self-report measure asking them to estimate their mobile phone activity “yesterday.” A multivariate exploratory analysis further suggests that it may be difficult to identify under- and overreporting using demographic variables alone.
The CES-D scale is a short self-report scale designed to measure depressive symptomatology in the general population. The items of the scale are symptoms associated with depression which have been used in previously validated longer scales. The new scale was tested in household interview surveys and in psychiatric settings. It was found to have very high internal consistency and adequate test- retest repeatability. Validity was established by pat terns of correlations with other self-report measures, by correlations with clinical ratings of depression, and by relationships with other variables which support its construct validity. Reliability, validity, and factor structure were similar across a wide variety of demographic characteristics in the general population samples tested. The scale should be a useful tool for epidemiologic studies of de pression.