Trust in online hotel reviews across review polarity and hotel category

This paper investigates how users' perception of online hotel reviews is related to trust across review polarity and hotel category. Users' perception of both titles and descriptions of reviews was examined. Data came from a 2 (review polarity: positive and negative) x 2 (hotel category: luxury and budget) between-participants experiment. Analysis was done using the partial least squares structural equation modeling approach. Attractiveness of titles and credibility of descriptions were positively related to trust. Moreover, the relation between users' perception of reviews and their decision to trust differed significantly across review polarity and hotel category. Implications of the findings are highlighted

Exploring Personal Connections in a Digital Reading Environment

M.L.I.S. University of Hawaii at Manoa 2017.This thesis presents a phenomenological, qualitative study of students and faculty and their experience with reading in both the physical and digital realms of reading. Results are based on the analysis of personal, one-on-one interviews from the context of a university environment, specifically, community members of the University of Hawaii. The phenomenon of connection between readers and their reading sources is explored resulting in six themes, which represent manifestations of connection between the study participants and their reading. Important to note, touch and tangibility continue to play a significant part in the reading process, especially due to aspects of familiarity, accessibility and ownership

Can Computers Be Fair? How Automated and Human-Powered Online Dispute Resolution Affect Procedural Justice in Mediation and Arbitration

Published in cooperation with the American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolutio

Actualising therapy 2.0: enhancing engagement with computerised cognitive behavioural therapy for common mental health disorders

Computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (CCBT) is a clinically effective method of delivering CBT which may help address the under – treatment of common mental health disorders (CMHDs) in the population. However, concerns regarding acceptability, attrition rates and the therapeutic alliance are obstacles to widespread population dissemination. This thesis aimed to address these implementation issues by applying concepts from human – computer interaction (HCI) and attachment theory to the field of CCBT. Chapter 1 presents a meta – analysis investigating the effectiveness of CCBT for CMHDs and moderators of this effect. Chapter 2 presents a systematic review and analysis conducted to examine predictors of CCBT engagement. A process – based model of engagement with CCBT developed from the findings of this review is also presented. Adult attachment is known to influence engagement and alliance in face to face therapies, but research has not explored whether these relationships are mirrored in CCBT. Four empirical studies intended to address this question. Study 1 used a student population based survey to explore the acceptability of CCBT in a student population and the associations with adult attachment. Results demonstrated adult attachment was not associated with acceptability of CCBT. Study 2a utilised an open trial of a supported CCBT program to investigate whether adult attachment would predict engagement and alliance in vivo. Results showed attachment did not predict these outcomes. Study 2b utilised an open trial with a non – supported online CCBT program. Results indicated attachment security was positively associated with program engagement and alliance. It is proposed a combination of attachment system activation and perceiving computers as social actors account for these findings. Study 3 used a randomised, experimental paradigm to test the benefits of security priming in CCBT. Security priming produced higher levels of program engagement and better working alliance compared to neutral primes. Furthermore these effects were not moderated by dispositional attachment styles. These results demonstrate something so uniquely human, dispositional attachment orientations, founded on the intimate bonds we form in infancy and in adulthood , extend their influence into the experience of unguided CCBT, a solely human – computer interaction. Unguided – CCBT, a highly cost effective intervention with the potential for considerable public health impact, may benefit from incorporating security priming techniques in program designs to maximise engagement and alliance. Engagement and alliance is attainable in CCBT and paying attention to the attachment styles of program users may present a distinctive opportunity to overcome these implementation barriers

Mensch-Computer-Interaktion und Nutzervertrauen : Die Erfassung von Vertrauen in Websites vor dem Hintergrund von Nutzererleben und Sicherheitsaspekten

Users’ trust in online situations is influenced by various characteristics of human-computer interaction. Looking at the increasing scope of services online, it remains an up-to-date issue, expanding its meaning for both informational and transactional websites. In this work, the Scale for Online Users’ Trust (SCOUT) was developed to assess the trustworthiness of both types of websites. Based on the scale, the effects of user experience on users’ trust were examined in several studies. For informational websites, hedonic qualities appeared to be significant predictors of trustworthiness in addition to usability. The effects could be confirmed for transactional websites. Furthermore, perceptions of security aspects were investigated in a set of studies. The effects of customer ratings, fictitious graphical elements, web assurance seals and interactive security-related feedback on users’ trust were analyzed. Findings from all together 11 studies of this work allow for inferences for website design that could support academics and practitioners in designing for trustworthy web environments.Nutzervertrauen in Websites ist sowohl auf informationalen als auch auf transaktionalen Websites nach wie vor ein entscheidender Faktor für erfolgreiche Online-Situationen. In dieser Arbeit wird die Entwicklung des Fragebogens SCOUT (Scale for Online Users’ Trust) beschrieben, mit dem die Vertrauenswürdigkeit von Websites beider Kategorien gleichermaßen erfasst werden kann. Darauf aufbauend wurde die Wirkung des Nutzererlebens auf Vertrauen in mehreren Studien untersucht. Für informationale Websites ergaben sich hedonische Merkmale und Usability als signifikante Prädiktoren von Vertrauenswürdigkeit. Diese Effekte konnten für transaktionale Websites bestätigt werden. Zusätzliche wurde geprüft, wie Kundenbewertungen, fiktive grafische Elemente, Gütesiegel und interaktive sicherheitsrelevante Rückmeldungen auf Nutzervertrauen wirken. Aus insgesamt elf Studien lassen sich Empfehlungen für eine vertrauensförderliche Website-Gestaltung ableiten