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STATEMENT OF ATTENDANCE
University of Salento, Lecce
21- 23 November 2021
This is to certify that
Charles Alves De Castro
has attended the 7th edition of SIM Doctoral & Research Colloquium
President of the SIM D&R Committee SIM President
Matteo De Angelis Angelo Di Gregorio
The 7th SIM (Società Italiana Marketing) Doctoral & Research Colloquium –University of Salento
November 21st - 23rd, Lecce, Italy
2021
An investigation of the personality traits that could identify
vulnerable young people who will be susceptible to undue
influence by social media influencers (SMIs)
By © Charles Alves de Castro
Supervisors: Dr Isobel O'Reilly & Dr Aiden Carthy Duration: 20 min
Technological University Dublin
The research presented in this colloquium was funded by the Irish Research Council under award number GOIPG/2021/360
Presentation Outline
1. Overall Context
2. Objectives & Aims
3. Research Questions
4. Methodology
5. Research Approach & Design
6. Sampling
7. Ethics
8. Literature Review
9. Importance & Contribution
10. Conclusion
11. Q&A
Technological University Dublin
The research presented in this colloquium was funded by the Irish Research Council under award number GOIPG/2021/360
2
1. Overall Context
❑SMIs may influence adolescents in both positive and negative ways, for example, motivating
them to behave pro-socially or adopt healthier lifestyle choices as opposed to encouraging
smoking, drinking, or even criminal and violent behaviour.
❑Should we be concerned about the influence of SMIs on young people? Should this be a concern
for the government? Should SMIs be regulated, registered, and policed? Should brands
responsible for any perceived undue content be sanctioned in any way, and should such findings
be made public?
❑If we can predict who will be susceptible to undue influence by SMIs, then we can work
towards educating and teaching young people to protect themselves from any undue influence.
Technological University Dublin
The research presented in this colloquium was funded by the Irish Research Council under award number GOIPG/2021/360
3
2. Objectives & Aims
Technological University Dublin
The research presented in this colloquium was funded by the Irish Research Council under award number GOIPG/2021/360
A. Determine whether there is a specific personality
profile that predisposes young people to undue
influence by social media influencers (SMIs)
B. Analyse the effectiveness of a training module at
enabling young people to recognise harmful content
online and avoid undue influence by SMIs
C. Ascertain who the social media influencers that young
people are currently following are and determine how
frequently they post potentially harmful or unhealthy
content if they do at all. Also, analyse why young
people choose to follow these SMIs and what is
making them SMIs
Assess the susceptibility of young people to
influence by social media influencers (SMIs)
Directly impact the education of young people, where
the insights discovered here can be used to educate
young people to teach them to recognise their own
vulnerabilities and protect themselves from undue
influence by SMIs
4
3. Research Questions
❑What personality traits or profiles are associated with susceptibility to undue influence by social media influencers?
•Questionnaires and Personality tests
❑Are there gender differences with respect to youths’ reactions to social media content?
•Questionnaires
❑What are the factors that motivate young people to follow their preferred social media influencers?
•Questionnaires
❑How frequently do the social media influencers that young people follow post content that may be deemed harmful
(e.g., violent content, promotion of unhealthy body image)?
•Post Analysis
❑How effectively does the provision of a specifically designed training programme enable young people to recognise
potentially harmful online content?
•Semi-structured interviews
❑How effectively does the provision of a specifically designed training programme enable young people to avoid undue
influence by social media influencers?
•Semi-structured interviews
Technological University Dublin
The research presented in this colloquium was funded by the Irish Research Council under award number GOIPG/2021/360
5
4. Methodology
Technological University Dublin
The research presented in this colloquium was funded by the Irish Research Council under award number GOIPG/2021/360
Literature Review
Existent
Knowledge
Problem
Recognition and
Answer
Answering Research Questions
Achieving Main Objectives
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Fundaments
Organisation
Information
Confirmation
• Secondary Data
Collection
• Literature Review
Formulation
• Synthesis
• Research Methods
Definition
• Research Design
• Philosophical
Discussion
• Primary Data
Collection
• Questionnaires
• Personality Tests
• Data Analysis
• Literature Review
Systematic
Analysis
• Sample: 40
• Teaching Module
Elaboration and
Deliver
• Semi-Structured
Interviews
• Transcription and
Analysis
• Literature
Review
Systematic
Analysis
• Sample: 40
In-puts
Results
Mixed-Methods
❑“A mixed-methods method was chosen for this study
because both quants e.g., questionnaires and personality
tests and quals e.g., semi-structured interviews are being
analysed.
❑Also, because the combination of these two methods
result in a more accurate, detailed and robust mixed-
methodological structure to answer the research questions
and understand the phenomenon under investigation
deeply.
Source: Elaborated by the author (2021).
6
5. Research Approach & Design
Technological University Dublin
The research presented in this colloquium was funded by the Irish Research Council under award number GOIPG/2021/360
Decisions for Mixed-Methods Design Criteria for Timing, Weighting, and Mixing
Decisions The choices for this study
What will the timing of the quantitative and
qualitative methods be?
Sequential
timing
Quantitative
first
What will the weighting of the quantitative and
qualitative methods be?
Unequal
weight
Quantitative
emphasis
How will the quantitative and qualitative methods be
mixed?
Connect
the data
Quantitative
leads to
qualitative
Source: Elaborated by the author (2021).
7
5.1 Research Approach & Design
Explanatory Design: Follow-up Explanations Model
Technological University Dublin
The research presented in this colloquium was funded by the Irish Research Council under award number GOIPG/2021/360
❑This research is inductive trying to understand and explain
the phenomenon studied as well as expand the analysis
through the mixed-methods approach.
Source: Elaborated by the author (2021).
8
6. Sampling
Technological University Dublin
The research presented in this colloquium was funded by the Irish Research Council under award number GOIPG/2021/360
❑This research addresses a sequential design using parallel samples for phases one and two.
❑These samples will be selected purposively utilising a homogeneous sampling scheme.
❑Therefore, the sampling approach in this study can be considered a non-probability sampling method following
the purposive approach.
❑According to Teddlie and Yu (2007, p. 80), “purposive sampling techniques have also been referred to as
nonprobability sampling or purposeful sampling or qualitative sampling”.
❑Purposive sampling aims to select subjects based on a specific purpose rather than randomly and is driven by
time and accessibility (Teddlie and Yu, 2007; Silverman, 2013). Therefore, selecting subjects especially
knowledgeable about or experienced with the central phenomenon under investigation in this research (Palinkas
et al., 2015).
❑This study's intended sample size will be N=40 divided into N=20 male and N=20 female for the first phase.
❑Following the parallel theory, the second phase will count different N=40 subjects in which N=20 will be male,
and N=20 will be female. Thus, the total sample size for both phases will count as N=80 subjects under
investigation.
❑Sample age: 16-18 years old
9
7. Ethics
Technological University Dublin
The research presented in this colloquium was funded by the Irish Research Council under award number GOIPG/2021/360
❑Ethical clearance was approved by the
Ethics Committee of TU Dublin,
Blanchardstown Campus, last September.
❑“Ethical approval for the research project
titled ‘An investigation of the personality
traits that could identify vulnerable young
people who will be susceptible to undue
influence by Social Media Influencers
(SMIs)’ has been authorized”.
❑Garda Vetting was approved and issued by
the National Vetting Bureau.
10
8. Literature Review
Technological University Dublin
The research presented in this colloquium was funded by the Irish Research Council under award number GOIPG/2021/360
❑Literature review method aiming to create a foundation for advancing knowledge, contrasting concepts, outlining
insights, fundamentally reviewing the topics, and producing insights about the main themes (Webster and Watson,
2002).
❑The literature review comprised a deep search using electronic journal databases such as: ScienceDirect, Elsevier,
JSTOR, Emerald, Springer, Sage, and Pubmed.
❑Articles and books were chosen according to the following criteria: 1. Must be peer-reviewed; 2. The number of
citations; 3. Relationship of the keywords and abstract with the topic covered in this paper; 4. The reliability and
validation of research methods.
❑Collection of secondary data through surveys, reports and reliable research projects were employed.
❑Blogs were carefully selected according to: 1. If the website provides security by an SSL certificate; 2. Clear
privacy policy available; 3. Contact information available; 4. The trust Seal was verified through words like
"secure and verified"; 5. The quality of content provided; 6. If the content was fully referenced; 7. Based on the
quality of reviews available online.
11
8.1 Literature Review
The Evolution of the Internet and Social Media
Technological University Dublin
The research presented in this colloquium was funded by the Irish Research Council under award number GOIPG/2021/360
❑This session reviews and analyses factors impacting the evolution of
the internet, the web, and social media channels, charting historic
trends and highlight recent technological developments.
❑The elements were analysed and processed using NVIVO 12 Pro,
enabling the creation of dimensions and categories, codes and nodes,
identifying the most frequent words, cluster analysis of the terms,
and creating a word cloud based on each word's frequency.
❑The review presents updated information about technological trends,
marketing, and chronological elements regarding the evolution of the
internet and social media. Source: Elaborated by the author (2021).
12
8.2 Literature Review
3 Integrated Sessions - Objectives
Technological University Dublin
The research presented in this colloquium was funded by the Irish Research Council under award number GOIPG/2021/360
❑Raise awareness within the marketing field about
the influence of social media influencers on
adolescents
❑Discuss ethical issues about the topic covered and
bring the benefits, challenges, positive and negative
impact of social media influencers in adolescents'
lives
❑Acknowledge the reader on how brands are
promoting their products and content through social
media influencers
Social Media Influencers (SMIs) in
Context
The Impact of SMIs on
Adolescents
Consumer Behaviour in a Digital
Era –Generation Z in Perspective
13
8.3 Literature Review
Personality
Technological University Dublin
The research presented in this colloquium was funded by the Irish Research Council under award number GOIPG/2021/360
❑The big five dimensions also are known as
the neo-personality inventory, a set of five
dimensions that form the basis of
personality: openness to experience,
conscientiousness, extroversion,
agreeableness, and neuroticism (Solomon,
2020).
❑The five dimensions structure suggests that
most of individual differences in human
personality might be classified into the five
broad, empirically derived domains
(Gosling, Rentfrow, & Swann Jr., 2003).
Type of test Examples
Self-report tests
(Friedman & Schustack,
2014, p. 25)
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)
Inwald
Personality Inventory (IPI)
Affective Communication Test (ACT)
Millon
Clinical Multiaxial Inventory
NEO
-PI
Personality Research From (PRF)
Myers
-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
Tests Advantages Limitations
Self-report tests
(Friedman &
Schustack
, 2014, p.
36)
Straightforward to standardize, easy to
administer, reliable, capture views of
self well
Limited in richness, easy to fake,
depend on self
-knowledge
Source: Elaborated by the author (2021).
14
8.4 Literature Review
An Ethical Discussion About the Responsibility for Protection of Minors in the Digital Environment
Technological University Dublin
The research presented in this colloquium was funded by the Irish Research Council under award number GOIPG/2021/360
❑“Who is responsible to ethically protect minors
in the digital environment?”
❑According to the International Save the
Children Alliance (2010), supported by the
United Nations, families, communities,
governments and non-governmental
organisations (NGOs) together play a vital role
in realising children's rights to protection.
❑The responsibility to protect minors in the
digital environment relies on us all and all
institutions in our society, as the internet and
social media are present in our daily lives.
Content:
Child as recipient
Contact:
Child as
participant
Conduct:
Child as actor
OPPORTUNITIES
Education learning and digital literacy Educational resources Contact with others who
share one’s interests
Self-initiated or
collaborative learning
Participation and civic engagement Global information Exchange among interest
groups
Concrete forms of
civic engagement
Creativity and self-expression Diversity of resources Being invited/inspired to
create or participate
User-generated content
creation
Identity and social connection Advice
(personal/health/sexual etc)
Social networking, shared
experiences with others
Expression of identity
RISKS
Commercial Advertising, spam,
sponsorship
Tracking/harvesting
personal info
Gambling, illegal
downloads, hacking
Aggressive Violent/gruesome/hateful
content
Being bullied, harassed or
stalked
Bullying or harassing
another
Sexual Pornographic/harmful sexual
content
Meeting strangers, being
groomed
Creating/uploading
pornographic material
Values Racist, biased info/advice
(e.g., drugs)
Self-harm, unwelcome
persuasion
Providing advice e.g.,
suicide/pro-anorexia
Source: (De Haan and Livingstone, 2009, p. 5).
15
8.5 Literature Review
Technological University Dublin
The research presented in this colloquium was funded by the Irish Research Council under award number GOIPG/2021/360
❑Gaps:
❑Little research has focused on personality
traits or profiles that predispose young people
to be susceptible to undue influence this
regard.
❑There is also no previous research in an Irish
context that has attempted to analyse the
impact of the provision of a training module
aimed at preventing young people from being
susceptible to undue influence by SMIs.
Source: (De Haan and Livingstone, 2009, p. 5).
16
Sources
Number
Extracted
Total of Sources
Reports Cited
45
Journal Articles
Analysed
420
(57)
Journal Articles
Selected
363
408
9. Importance & Contribution
❑This study has the potential to enable marketers, educators, parents, and other
interested parties to develop a greater understanding of the susceptibility of young
people to influence by SMIs.
❑This project may enable young people to develop resilience to negative influence and
as a consequence may help them to maintain positive mental health.
❑Findings of this research may be of interest and disseminated to the Dept of Youth &
Children’s affairs, potentially influencing policy in this area.
❑This research makes a unique and novel contribution to the fields of marketing and
psychology.
Technological University Dublin
The research presented in this colloquium was funded by the Irish Research Council under award number GOIPG/2021/360
17
10. Conclusion, Findings & Discussion
❑Depression and anxiety correlated to instant fame, and the reduction in depression and loneliness is
linked to the decreasing amount of time spent in social media networks, however, the contrary does
not have the same effect.
❑Social media influencers can cause a dissatisfied feeling related to body image in a women
perspective.
❑Research have shown a statistically meaningful association between alcohol consumption related
social media interaction within the younger population.
❑Also, shows a greater presence with social media related to alcohol was associated with both greater
self-reported consumption and alcohol-related issues.
❑Kids and adolescents exposed to an esteemed media figure such as an influencer promoting unhealthy
food could foster unhealthy habits leading to obesity.
❑The government should regulate and create policies to supervise how those undue influences have
been generated and how would be possible to avoid them –(?)
Technological University Dublin
The research presented in this colloquium was funded by the Irish Research Council under award number GOIPG/2021/360
18
Q&A Session
Duration: 30 minutes for feedback / question session
Technological University Dublin
The research presented in this colloquium was funded by the Irish Research Council under award number GOIPG/2021/360
19
Thank you!
© Charles Alves de Castro
PhD Student, M.Sc. in Marketing
B00139249@mytudublin.ie
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Charles_Alves_De_Castro
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlescastro/
Technological University Dublin
The research presented in this colloquium was funded by the Irish Research Council under award number GOIPG/2021/360
20
Program of the 7th SIM Doctoral & Research Colloquium
With the free sponsorship of University of Salento
21 - 23 November, 2021
University of Salento, Department of Management and Economics, Ecotekne Campus
Via per Monteroni, 73100 Lecce (Italy)
D&R Colloquium presentations will take place in the “Mario Signore” Room, 1st floor.
Sunday, November 21
18.30-19.30
Kick-off of the D&R Colloquium at the Hotel Santa Chiara in Lecce
20.00
Dinner at “Tabisca Il Vico dei Tagliati” restaurant
Monday, November 22
Session 1
Session chair: Matteo De Angelis
Proposal Title
8.30-8.45
University of Salento institutional welcoming
Prof. Fabio Pollice, Rector of the University of Salento
Prof. Vittorio Boscia, Director of the Dept. of Management and Economics
Prof. Gianluigi Guido, Full Professor of Marketing, Dept. of Management and
Economics
8.45-9:35
Presenter: Antea Gambicorti
Peer discussant: Matilde Rapezzi
Faculty discussant: Simona Botti
“That’s Craft, I’ll eat it slow!”: How
artisanal food products
stimulate slower eating and promote
eating moderation
9:35-10:25
Presenter: Giovanni Luca Cascio Rizzo
Peer discussant: Kees Smeets
Faculty discussant: Stefano Puntoni
Too good to be true: The effects of
followers and language intensity on
consumer responses to influencer’s
sponsored AD
10:25-10:40
Coffee Break
Session 2
Session chair: Gaia Rubera
10:40-11:30
Presenter: Charles Alves de Castro
Peer discussant: Lena Bjørlo
Faculty discussant: Simona Botti
An investigation of the personality
traits that could identify vulnerable
young people who will be susceptible
to undue influence by social media
influencers (SMIs)
11:30-12:20
Presenter: Gabriele Murtas
Peer discussant: Martina Gurioli
Faculty discussant: Stefano Puntoni
Why can’t we be friends?
Linking category studies and market
system dynamics. The case of luxury
streetwear.
Session 3
Session chair: Sara Valentini
12:20-13:10
Presenter: Musa Essa
Peer discussant: Vigier Zouhar
Faculty discussant: Simona Botti
Customer’s perspective on front-line
service employees with disabilities:
The role of interaction and emotions
13:10-14:10
LUNCH at Ecotkne Campus
14:10-15.00
Presenter: Matilde Rapezzi
Peer discussant: Charles Alves de
Castro
Faculty discussant: Stefano Puntoni
When brands “Try Too Hard”
consumers cringe: Investigating
consumers’ embarrassment for brands
Session 4
Session chair: Matteo De Angelis
15:00-15:50
Presenter: Kees Smeets
Peer discussant: Giovanni Luca Cascio
Rizzo
Faculty discussant: Simona Botti
Vicarious consumption: Good enough
or need for more?
15:50-16:10
Coffee Break
16:10-17:30
Workshop 1 – Research idea
generation
17:30-20:00
Time to rest and socialize
20:00
Dinner at “Boccon Divino” restaurant
Tuesday, November 23
Session 5
Session chair: Sara Valentini
9:00-9:50
Presenter: Lena Bjørlo
Peer discussant: Musa Essa
Faculty discussant: Tammo Bijmolt
Sustainable Algorithmic Marketing
9:50-10:40
Presenter: Martina Gurioli
Peer discussant: Antea Gambicorti
Faculty discussant: Tammo Bijmolt
Copycats as determinants of consumer
confusion: An experiment on food
products
10:40-11:00
Coffee Break
Session 6
Session chair: Sara Valentini
101:00-11:50
Presenter: Vigier Zouhar
Peer discussant: Gabriele Murtas
Faculty discussant: Tammo Bijmolt
Do temporary price reductions
contribute to the development of
retailers’ shoppers loyalty?
11:50-12:40
Workshop 2: Publication/job market
process
12:40-13.00 Closing remarks
13:00-14:00 Lunch at Campus Ecotkne
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Accommodation: participants are free to book a room or an apartment of their choice in Lecce and
then take public transportation to reach Ecotekne Campus of the University of Salento. To reach the
campus students can take the bus n. 27 (http://sgmlecce.it/images/orari_invernali_tpl/27.pdf), which
stops at 50m from the Department of Management and Economics.
Registration will start at 18:00 of November 21th at the Hotel Santa Chiara
(https://www.santachiaralecce.it/). At 18:30, in a room of the Hotel Santa Chiara, Faculty and
participants will get together for welcoming greetings and the kick-off of the D&R colloquium. After
this, they will all walk together to the restaurant “Tabisca Il Vico dei Tagliati” for the welcoming dinner.