The influence of influence: the effect of task repetition on persuaders and persuadees

We investigate how the experience of influencing and of being influenced impacts on a subsequent, immediate attempt to influence and be influenced. We conduct an experiment using participant dyads matched in a round-robin design which systematically measures the influence one individual has on another in a decision task using a short, anonymous, computer mediated, text based exchange. Findings show that being influenced in a round of the task tends to be positively related to being influenced in the subsequent two rounds with the effect weakening each time. We find no impact on the ability to influence

A Corpus Linguistic Analysis of Public Reddit and Tumblr Blog Posts on Non-Suicidal Self-Injury

Self-harm is a frightening phenomenon that affects adolescents and young adults all over the world. While non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) has a high prevalence rate, it is not a new behavior. One of the earliest documented cases of NSSI was in ancient Greece and it has gained popularity amongst adolescents. NSSI content appears consistently on pro-NSSI social media and blog websites. Social media’s ubiquity has profound impacts on people’s behavior; young people in particular spend hours consuming social media every day. The combination of NSSI behavior and social media creates debate and controversy. While some have argued that social media creates a community of people struggling with similar issues, others argue that social media is a space to perpetuate negativity and rumination. Even though research has attempted to understand and explain NSSI behavior, there has been little research on NSSI behavior and related language on social media. This dissertation examines selected pro-NSSI social media to explore the linguistic processes and psychological processes active in pro-NSSI social media posts. This study, which used a synchronic corpus linguistic design, has two arms; the first arm (A) focuses on pro-NSSI posts on Tumblr and the second arm (B) examined pro-NSSI posts on Reddit. Both the study on Tumblr and the study on Reddit asked the following questions: (1) What is the NSSI specific content word use of the individuals making posts? (2) What is the pattern of use of linguistic processes of the individuals making posts compared to the pattern that appears in blogs overall? (3) What is the pattern of use of psychological processes of the individuals making posts compared to the pattern that appears in blogs overall? The study used an API to collect public, pro-NSSI posts from both Reddit and Twitter that appeared between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017; these posts were then anonymized and analyzed. The API was instructed to scrape posts that: (a) monolingual English and (b) contain at least one term on a NSSI terms list compiled by the researchers. The API was instructed to eliminate user names, URLs, hashtags, location of the posts, posts from outside of the US, photographs, and foreign languages. When added together, the posts collected by the API for Research Arm A (Tumblr) had a total 330,868 total word count. For Research Arm B (Reddit), the corpus’ total word count was 228,172. The data was analyzed using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) software. For the first research question, the percentage of all words for each NSSI-specific category was reported. In addition, the raw count for each word in each category was listed in rank order. In terms of the second and third research questions, the following were reported for all categories except for emotional tone: (a) percentage of all words, (b) log likelihood statistic of the comparison of the NSSI corpus to general blog norms, and (c) log ratio of the comparison of the NSSI corpus to general blog norms. For the emotional tone category, the following were noted: (a) percentage of all words, (b) one sample z test of proportion with study results as p-hat and general blog norms as p0. When the Tumblr posts from Research Arm A were analyzed, the findings revealed that people posting their NSSI behaviors on public blogs are people who have a high desire to connect with others while sharing their pain and experience of numbness, and use high levels of negative emotional words. Overall, these results demonstrated that people posting on Tumblr about NSSI are hurting individuals reaching out for help. The findings for Research Arm B (Reddit) suggest that the posts were made in the mental state that was characterized by high levels of depression, anxiety, and neuroticism. When both research arms are considered as a whole, the results illustrated a profile of a young person who is struggling with managing intense negative emotions. The results from this study have implications for the clinical treatment by informing the counseling theories used to treat this population, transforming how counselors are trained in NSSI behaviors and investigating how research can further explore the nuances of language to have a better understanding of a difficult problem the plagues so many young people

Blog content management in shaping pro recreational attitudes

The main aim of this article was to research the impact of the content of recreational blogs on the change of attitude and behaviours of their recipients, as well as creating the basis to manage the content of blogs directed to achieve particular results. The study was conducted with the use of quantitative and qualitative content analysis. The contents of 691 comments left by 4 main types of commentators were analysed. The evaluation of individual entries was performed using the assumptions of the modified AIDA model of consumer behaviour. The possibility of a positive causal link between the presented content and the appearance of the signs of its impact on the behaviour of individuals tracking the posts has been proven to a minor extent only. Merely 0.5% of commentators and individuals were not engaged in running declared changing their way of life to a pro recreational and sports-related one. Conducting analyses directly on the large, narrative story-telling content with the use of a consumer behaviour model is a novelty of this paper and rarely appears in the scientific literature. The theoretical significance of the work is connected with the development of the theory of marketing management in the context of social networks content management

Persuasion: an analysis and common frame of reference for IS research

Information Systems (IS) researchers persistently examine how Information and Communications Technology (ICT) changes attitudes and behaviours but rarely leverage the persuasion literature when doing so. The hesitance of IS researchers to leverage persuasion literature may be due to this literature’s well-documented complexity. This study aims to reduce the difficulty of understanding and applying persuasion theory within IS research. The study achieves this aim by developing a common frame of reference to help IS researchers to conceptualise persuasion and to conceptually differentiate persuasion from related concepts. In doing this, the study also comprehensively summarises existing research and theory and provides a set of suggestions to guide future IS research into persuasion and behaviour change

A Corpus Linguistic Analysis of Pro-Nonsuicidal Self-Injury and Pro-Anorexia Public Tumblr Posts Which Use Spanish (Un Analisis de Lingüística de Corpus de Publicaciones Pública que usan Español en Tumblr que Respaldan a las Pró Autolesiones No Suicidas y Pró-Anorexia)

On social media platforms and on blog sites, disordered behavior as a lifestyle choice is a growing trend that supports and promotes behaviors related to self-harm and anorexia. Web content advocating self-harm and anorexia can be found easily through search engines or can be concealed in the social media sphere through deliberately misused language and creative hashtags. Existing scholarly literature includes information regarding the language used on social media platforms and on blogs sites when material is written in English; however, there is little research exploring these phenomena as they are communicated in Spanish. The present study, which used a synchronic corpus linguistic design, has two arms, both of which examined public Tumblr posts. The first arm focused on pro-nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) posts, and the second arm scrutinized pro-anorexia (pro-ana) posts. Posts were scraped when they included Spanish language and/or hashtags and when they also utilized hashtags identifying the post as pro-NSSI or pro-ana. The research questions for the arms were as follows: First, in public Tumblr posts written in Spanish, what was the use rate of specific words for individuals posting content of a pro-NSSI or pro-ana nature? Second, in public pro-NSSI or pro-ana Tumblr posts written in English, what was the use rate of pronoun categories? Third, in public pro-NSSI or pro-ana Tumblr posts written in English, did the use rate of pronoun categories differ from norms for such posts? And, finally, in public pro-NSSI or pro-ana Tumblr posts written in Spanish, did the use rate of the psychological process categories differ from norms for such posts? Following an analysis of the data with Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) software, the first arm of the study revealed the use of high levels of negative emotion words in the dominant language. The results also revealed possible depression, perceived lower social status and users’ efforts to distance themselves from their emotions when writing in the non-dominant language (English). Overall, these results demonstrated that people posting on Tumblr about NSSI are suffering and in need of help. The results of the second arm of the study revealed that reliance on pronouns increased users’ focus on people and objects, which has been linked to decreased likelihood of recovery. The psychological properties of the posts had a negative emotional tone and significant use of ingestion and health words, signaling potential symptoms of anorexia. Considering the extent of both research arms, the results show that these overlapping populations struggle to manage intense negative emotions. This research points to the benefits both of assessing bilingual clients for NSSI and anorexia symptoms and of evaluating their online posting behaviors. So, too, do these studies underscore the need for improved evidence-based treatment for trauma in bilingual individuals and the importance of devising Spanish and codeswitching blog norms to inform future research. Finally, these results can have profound implications for clinical treatment by informing the counseling theories used to treat these populations, by transforming how counselors are trained to assess and respond to NSSI and anorexia behaviors, and by investigating how research can reveal the nuances of language such that scholars better appreciate the difficult issues confronting teens and young adults

A influência das redes sociais e dos micro-influencers na decisão do consumidor: setor da restauração

A presente dissertação é elaborada no âmbito do mestrado em ciências empresariais e tem o objetivo de perceber qual a influência das redes socais e dos micro-influencers na decisão do consumidor, no setor da restauração, através do estudo realizado com consumidores que utilizam as redes socais e com micro-influencers que partilham conteúdo sobre restaurantes. Por meio da análise dos resultados, verificou-se que as redes sociais e os micro-influencers atuam de forma significativa quanto à influência na escolha do consumidor no setor da restauração. Não só pelo facto de partilharem conteúdos visuais, textos e suas experiências vividas nesses restaurantes, mas também por transmitirem características como credibilidade e confiança.The present dissertation is elaborated for the master’s degree on corporate sciences and has the goal of understanding which is the influence of social media and the micro- influencers on the consumer’s decision-making, in the restaurant business industry, with the use of the study realized with consumers that use social media and with micro-influencers that share contents about restaurants. With the analysis of the results, it was verified that social media and micro-influencers act significatively about the consumers choice on the restaurant business industry; not only by the fact that they are sharing visual contents, texts and their experiences on those restaurants but also because they transmit characteristics like credibility and trust

Conceptualizing the Electronic Word-of-Mouth Process: What We Know and Need to Know About eWOM Creation, Exposure, and Evaluation

Electronic word of mouth (eWOM) is a prevalent consumer practice that has undeniable effects on the company bottom line, yet it remains an over-labeled and under-theorized concept. Thus, marketers could benefit from a practical, science-based roadmap to maximize its business value. Building on the consumer motivation–opportunity–ability framework, this study conceptualizes three distinct stages in the eWOM process: eWOM creation, eWOM exposure, and eWOM evaluation. For each stage, we adopt a dual lens—from the perspective of the consumer (who sends and receives eWOM) and that of the marketer (who amplifies and manages eWOM for business results)—to synthesize key research insights and propose a research agenda based on a multidisciplinary systematic review of 1050 academic publications on eWOM published between 1996 and 2019. We conclude with a discussion of the future of eWOM research and practice

O papel dos micro-influencers no processo de tomada de decisão do consumidor na Hotelaria

A presente dissertação tem o intuito de compreender qual o papel desempenhado pelos micro-influencers no processo de tomada de decisão do consumidor na hotelaria, através do estudo do perfil de alguns micro-influencers que partilhem conteúdos sobre hotéis portugueses, de forma a perceber, quais as características e fatores que contribuem para a influência da escolha de um hotel por parte do consumidor, e também, através do estudo do perfil do consumidor que segue estes micro-influencers, de forma a entender a sua motivação bem como os fatores que tornam a sua escolha influenciável. Para o efeito, para além da pesquisa efetuada através da revisão de literatura, foram realizadas entrevistas estruturadas a micro-influencers que partilham conteúdos sobre hotéis portugueses, e foram também realizados inquéritos a consumidores e seguidores desses micro-influencers. Através da análise de resultados verificamos que hoje em dia os micro-influencers já desempenham um papel relevante quanto à influência da tomada de decisão de compra do consumidor na área da hotelaria. Não só porque partilham conteúdos visuais e textuais que permitem ao consumidor formar uma ideia de como será a sua estadia, mas também porque, detêm algumas características e fatores como credibilidade, honestidade, simpatia, experiência vivida, originalidade, criatividade, qualidade e a atratividade dos conteúdos que partilham. O conjunto destas características e fatores faz com que os micro-influencers sejam considerados muitas vezes pelos seguidores como fontes de informação fidedignas e confiáveis. No entanto, no caso específico da hotelaria, existem ainda poucos micro-influencers não remunerados, sendo que, a maioria dos influencers desta área são macro ou mega-influencers, o que significa que já recebem algum tipo de remuneração para desenvolver o seu trabalho. Assim, os micro-influencers na área da hotelaria, são um instrumento de informação ainda em desenvolvimento, mas já de alguma forma relevante para o consumidor.This dissertation aims to understand the micro-influencers role in the consumer decision-making process in hotels, by studying some micro-influencers profiles that share contents about Portuguese hotels, in order to understand, which characteristics and factors contribute to influence the choice of a hotel by the consumer, and also, through the study of the consumer profile that follows these micro-influencers, in order to understand their motivation as well as the factors that make their choice easily influenced. To this end, in addition to the research conducted through the literature review, interviews were conducted with micro-influencers who share content about Portuguese hotels, and surveys were conducted for consumers and followers of these micro-influencers. Through the analysis of results, we find that nowadays micro-influencers already play a relevant role regarding the influence of consumer purchasing decision making in the hotel business. Not only because they share visual and textual content that allows consumers to form an idea of what their stay will be like, but also because they have some characteristics and factors such as credibility, honesty, charm, lived experience, originality, creativity, quality and attractiveness of the content they share. These characteristics and factors mean that micro-influencers are often considered by followers as trustworthy and reliable sources of information. However, in the specific case of hospitality, there are still few unpaid micro-influencers, and most influencers in this area are macro or mega-influencers, which means that they already receive some kind of remuneration to develop their work. Thus, micro-influencers in the hotel sector are an information tool still under development, but already relevant to the consumer

Ghostwriting as a Critical Lens: Authorship and Attribution in Professional and Academic Contexts

This dissertation exposes the inherent deceit within the practice of ghostwriting, considers ways that business applications of writing de-value the labor of writing, and, finally, argues for a composition pedagogy that moves past the emphasis on single-author documents so that students can critically view corporate authorship as an alternative. This dissertation engages in mixed-methods research that included surveys of blog readers and interviews of professional ghostwriters to include voices too often excluded from discussions about the impacts of professional ghostwriting. After establishing the layers of silence placed around the practice of ghostwriting, I then argue that perpetuating this practice de-values the labor of writing despite the integral role writing plays in creating value in our current world. After discussing the ethical and professional implications of ghostwriting in corporate settings, this dissertation argues that students in First-Year Composition (FYC) programs occupy a role similar to the professional ghostwriter in terms of limited agency, pay-off, and potential. As with the context of professional writing, this study challenges the status quo of single-authored texts as assessments in FYC and argues for the benefits of students composing in digital genres such as wikis and social media to critique the benefits of single-authored, collaborative, and corporate writing in and out of the classroom

Twitter as a communications instrument to support the decision making process in UAE police

A thesis submitted to the University of Bedfordshire in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of PhilosophySocial media are increasingly becoming platforms of choice for communication among individuals and groups of the public, and hence organisations are interested in engaging with communities and the public through this form of media to gain intelligence from such engagements to support their decision making processes. Yet, organisations are missing on realising the potential value from using social media for this type of interaction and engagement, while paucity in research addressing practical ways to use social media communication in supporting decision making still persists. This research investigates and proposes a practical framework for using social media – specifically Twitter – as a communications instrument to support the decision making process in police organisations. The research design is based on developing and evaluating a proof of concept representing engagements between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) police as a case study of police organisations with communities and members of the public in the UAE. The proof of concept is designed based on comparing and contrasting current practices by the UAE police with models, trends, and practices discussed in related literature. The research uses the Grounded Theory methodology to guide sampling, data collection, and analysis. The contribution of the research is to both theory and practice. The research addresses a gap in the body of knowledge for a framework that guides the development of models, policies, and practices for the use of social media as a communication instrument to support decision making in governmental organisations, specifically the police. In addition, the framework offers practical insights to policy makers into using different social media to engage with the public in communication, interactions, and knowledge sharing, with the aim of supporting decision making