Eliciting Behavior From Interactive Narratives: Isolating the Role of Agency in Connecting With and Modeling Characters

A key component differentiating interactive storytelling from non-interactive media is agency, or control over character choices. A series of experiments show that providing agency over a character increased the user-character connection, which then increased engagement in a character-consistent charitable act. Findings were observed in technologically simple online narratives that controlled for navigation/controller differences, graphics, sounds, lengthy play, and avatar customization. Effects emerged even though users did not practice these acts by making their character behave charitably. Findings were robust across happy and unfortunate endings and across first-, second-, and third-person narrative perspectives. Findings suggest promise for developing inexpensive ‘‘storygames’’ to encourage supportive behaviors

Towards a non-hierarchical campaign? Testing for interactivity as a tool of election campaigning in France, the US, Germany and the UK.

Interest in the Internet and its role within political communication and election campaigning has now an established body of theoretical and empirical history, with mixed predictions and findings. The bulk of the empirical research has been in single countries, and where there has been comparative research it has tended to use a range of methodologies conducted by different authors. Largely, empirical studies have agreed with the politics as usual thesis, that political communication online is of a similar if not identical style to offline: top-down, information heavy and designed to persuade rather than consult with voters. The mass take-up of web 2.0 tools and platforms challenges this approach, however. Internet users now have opportunities to interact with a range of individuals and organisations, and it is argued that such tools reduce societal hierarchies and allow for symmetrical relationships to build. Theoretically democratic politics is a fertile environment for exploring the opportunities potentiated by web 2.0, in particular the notion of interactivity between the campaign (candidate, party and staff) and their audiences (activists, members, supporters and potential voters). Conceptually, web 2.0 encourages co-production of content. This research focuses on the extent to which interactivity is encouraged through the use of web 2.0 tools and platforms across a four year period focusing on four discrete national elections; determining take up and the link to national context as well as assessing lesson learning between nations. Using the Gibson and Ward coding scheme, though adapted to include web 2.0, we operationalise the models of interactivity proposed by McMillan (2002) and Ferber, Foltz and Pugiliese (2007). This methodology allows us to assess whether election campaigns are showing evidence of adopting co-created campaigns based around conversations with visitors to their websites or online presences, or whether websites remain packaged to persuade offering interactivity with site features (hyperlinks, web feeds, search engines) only. Indications are that the French election was largely politics as usual, however the Obama campaign took a clear step towards a more co-produced and interactive model. There may well be a clear Obama effect within the German and UK contests, or parties may adopt the look if not the practice of the US election. This paper will assess the extent to which an interactive model of campaigning is emerging as well as detailing a methodology which can capture and rate the levels and types of interactivity used across the Internet. Whilst specific political cultural and systematic factors will shape the use of Web technologies in each election, we suggest that an era of web 2.0 is gradually replacing that of Web 1.0. Within this era there is some evidence that campaigners learn from previous elections on how best to utilise the technology

Examining the impact of mobile interactivity on customer engagement in the context of mobile shopping

YesPurpose – This study aims to examine the impact of mobile interactivity dimensions (active control, personalization, ubiquitous connectivity, connectedness, responsiveness, and synchronicity) on customer engagement. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative field survey study was conducted to collect the required data from actual users of mobile shopping in three countries: Jordan, the United Kingdom (UK) and Saudi Arabia. Findings – The results are based on structural equation modelling and support the impact of five dimensions of mobile interactivity: active control, personalization, ubiquitous connectivity, responsiveness, and synchronicity. Research limitations/implications – This study only considered the shopping activities conducted by mobile channels, while other channels (e.g. online channels, traditional channels, and social media shopping channels) are not considered. Furthermore, the current model does not consider the impact of personal factors (e.g. technology readiness, self-efficacy, user experience). The results of the current study present a foundation that can guide marketers and practitioners in the area of mobile shopping. Originality/value – This study enriches the current understanding of the impact of mobile interactivity on mobile shopping, as well as how mobile interactivity can enhance the level of customer engagement

Towards a non-hierarchical campaign? Testing for interactivity as a tool of election campaigning in France, the US, Germany and the UK.

Interest in the Internet and its role within political communication and election campaigning has now an established body of theoretical and empirical history, with mixed predictions and findings. The bulk of the empirical research has been in single countries, and where there has been comparative research it has tended to use a range of methodologies conducted by different authors. Largely, empirical studies have agreed with the politics as usual thesis, that political communication online is of a similar if not identical style to offline: top-down, information heavy and designed to persuade rather than consult with voters. The mass take-up of Web 2.0 tools and platforms challenges this approach, however. Internet users now have opportunities to interact with a range of individuals and organisations, and it is argued that such tools reduce societal hierarchies and allow for symmetrical relationships to build. Theoretically democratic politics is a fertile environment for exploring the opportunities potentiated by Web 2.0, in particular the notion of interactivity between the campaign (candidate, party and staff) and their audiences (activists, members, supporters and potential voters). In particular, Web 2.0 conceptually encourages co-production of content. This research focuses on the extent to which interactivity is encouraged through the use of Web 2.0 tools and platforms across a four year period focusing on four discrete national elections; determining take up and the link to national context as well as assessing lesson learning between nations. Using the Gibson and Ward coding scheme, though adapted to include Web 2.0, we operationalise the models of interactivity proposed by McMillan (2002) and Ferber, Foltz and Pugiliese (2007). This methodology allows us to assess whether election campaigns are showing evidence of adopting co-created campaigns based around conversations with visitors to their websites or online presences, or whether websites remain packaged to persuade offering interactivity with site features (hyperlinks, web feeds, search engines) only. Indications are that the French election was largely politics as usual, however the Obama campaign took a clear step towards a more co-produced and interactive model. There may well be a clear Obama effect within the German and UK contests, or parties may adopt the look if not the practice of the US election. This paper will assess the extent to which an interactive model of campaigning is emerging as well as detailing a methodology which can capture and rate the levels and types of interactivity used across the Internet. Whilst specific political cultural and systematic factors will shape the use of Web technologies in each election, we suggest that an era of Web 2.0 is gradually replacing that of Web 1.0. Within this era there is some evidence that campaigners learn from previous elections on how best to utilise the technology

Links of Connectedness: A Content Analysis and Industry Survey Comparing the Interactive Options of Community and Metro Newspaper Web Sites

As newspapers struggle to redefine their role in a constantly shifting mass media landscape, this research project studies how one of mass communications’ historically fundamental mediums, the community newspaper, is utilizing its Web presence to connect to readers in innovative ways that might perpetuate loyalty to the local press. A key question is: How can community newspapers utilize their Web sites’ interactive features to maintain useful links of connectedness with local readers, in effect capitalizing on the very technologies that many analysts predict will ultimately render them obsolete? Through content analysis of newspaper Web site home pages and industry surveys, it was found that there exists a possible disconnect between what surveyed online editors believed was important for their newspapers in the area of interactivity and what their newspapers were actually doing to remain connected to their readers online. More than 70% of online editors/Web site coordinators responding to an e-mailed survey agreed that it is important for their newspapers’ Web sites to post links that connect with readers and engage them in online discourse, encouraging feedback and consistent interactivity. Also, more than 75% of respondents said their newspapers are connecting to readers through these links of connectedness (LOCs). However, a content analysis of more than 400 newspapers showed that only 4.875 LOCs were offered per newspaper Web site home page

How advocacy and interactivity facilitate customer value co-creation behaviour in Instagram: a micro-perspective of unplanned and voluntary usage of hedonic social networking sites

Our study offers a new conceptual model of value co-creation in hedonic social network sites, and it validates an adaptation of the Coleman bathtub to social interaction in Instagram. Few papers have studied empirically interactive platforms for value co-creation in the focal context of a service ecosystem under service-dominant logic. We use a CB-SEM methodological approach to quantitatively test the hypothesised connections between constructs in our structural model. The analysis of the statistical results allows us to validate the direct, indirect and total effects between the latent variables in the model. Furthermore, it empirically shows, for the studied sample of Instagrammers, the dual nature of interactivity, both networked and perceived; how customer participation behaviour relates to customer relationships with other Instagrammers; the resource integration patterns of social capital and the choreography of relational value; and finally as well as the positive impact of increased advocacy levels on customer participation behaviour during the unplanned and voluntary usage of Instagram.Nuestro estudio ofrece un nuevo modelo conceptual de cocreación de valor en redes sociales hedónicas, y valida la adaptación del bote de Coleman a la interacción social en Instagram. Pocos estudios se han realizado para investigar empíricamente las plataformas interactivas para la cocreación de valor en el contexto de un ecosistema de servicios bajo la lógica dominante del servicio. Utilizamos el enfoque metodológico del modelo de ecuaciones estructurales basado en la covarianza para comprobar cuantitativamente las relaciones causales hipotéticas entre constructos en nuestro modelo estructural. El análisis de los resultados estadísticos nos permite validar los efectos directos, indirectos y totales entre las variables latentes del modelo. Además, se demuestra empíricamente para la muestra de instagrammers la naturaleza dual de la interactividad, en la interactividad en red y en la percepción de la interactividad; cómo el comportamiento participativo del cliente influye en las relaciones personales con otros instagrammers; los patrones de integración de recursos del capital social y la coreografía del valor relacional; y finalmente el impacto positivo que tienen los niveles de adopción aumentados sobre el comportamiento ciudadano del cliente durante el uso no planificado y voluntario de Instagram.El nostre estudi ofereix un nou model conceptual de cocreació de valor en xarxes socials hedòniques, i valida l'adaptació del pot de Coleman a la interacció social a Instagram. Pocs estudis s'han realitzat per investigar empíricament les plataformes interactives per a la cocreació de valor en el context d'un ecosistema de serveis sota la lògica dominant del servei. Utilitzem l'enfocament metodològic del model d'equacions estructurals basat en la covariància per comprovar quantitativament les relacions causals hipotètiques entre constructes en el nostre model estructural. L'anàlisi dels resultats estadístics ens permet validar els efectes directes, indirectes i totals entre les variables latents del model. A més, es demostra empíricament per a la mostra d'instagramers la naturalesa dual de la interactivitat, en la interactivitat en xarxa i en la percepció de la interactivitat; com el comportament participatiu del client influeix en les relacions personals amb altres instagramers; els patrons de integració de recursos del capital social i la coreografia de la valor relacional; i finalment l'impacte positiu que tenen els nivells d'adopció augmentats sobre el comportament ciutadà del client durant l'ús no planificat i voluntari d'Instagram