WHAT IS VIDEO VIRALITY? AN INTRODUCTION TO VIRALITY METRICS

Video virality is acknowledged by many marketing professionals as an integral aspect of digital marketing. It is being mentioned a lot as a buzz word but there has not been any definitive terminology ascribed to what exactly it is. It is common to hear a phrase such as, “this video has gone viral”. However, this raises fundamental or philosophical questions such as, “what exactly is virality – Is it a video with large views or shares, or both”? If it is “How many views or shares must a video have to be considered a “viral” video? “How quickly must a video be passed on from person to person to achieve “virality” and how long must a video stay viral? Is there a relationship between a videos views and shares, likes and “share though rate” and dislikes and “share through rate”? These questions pose a conundrum and hence to piece the missing puzzle an amalgamation of literature needs to be synthesised to answer these questions adequately. The current study reviews the extant literature on viral marketing, explores the differences of opinions presented and associated challenges each of the definitions has in order to develop a working definition for video virality and how it can be measured. It also brings to light a much less focused construct identified as popularity whose emphasis is on the staying power of viral videos. The virality growth model was developed to predict the level virality and compared with other models in literature. In order to derive the working definition for virality, data from a pre-selected range of viral YouTube videos were collated. New formulae such as the STR (Share Through Rate), Relative Likes and Relative Dislikes was created to assess the extent of virality. Based on the STR formula, a threshold for virality was established and then categorized to give a greater insight on the different levels of virality. Next, the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used to measure the relationship strengths among the set of video viral drivers i.e. between views, shares, share through rate, likes and dislikes. The Spearman’s rank correlation was preferred for the analysis as the data is monotonic (nonlinear). This paper offers a conceptual and practical understanding of video virality. The concept of viral video marketing is advanced by introducing a “Share Through Rate” and “Relative Likes Rate” to the definition of viral video marketing as well as the distinctive categorizations. Finally, and most significantly, the study provides an exhaustive answer to the key fundamental questions such as what is used as a basis for virality and what it takes for a video to go viral

Texting and the brain: The time-course of social brain activation in face-to-face versus text-based computer-mediated-communication

Through evolution, humans have adapted their interactions to face-to-face communication, supported by a network of neural systems which facilitate the transmission and interpretation of social signals for successful communication. However, emerging methods of mediated communication are rapidly shifting our communication habits. For instance, text messaging has become a dominant mode of communication, surpassing face-to-face interaction in some contexts. This study explored differences in neural activation between face-to-face (FtF) and text-based computer-mediated communication (CMC) during a conversation between two communication partners. Seventeen pairs of participants were recruited and each pair undertook a ten-minute conversation in each communication condition. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy was utilized to measure neural activity in two relevant neural structures involved in social cognition: the ventro-medial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), and the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC). The results indicated that text-based CMC generated more activity in dmPFC relative to FtF. No overall differences were observed between text-based CMC and FtF conditions in the vmPFC, although a linear trend existed across time showing increasing activation through the conversation in the FtF condition only. The results suggest there are differences in neural activations in key brain regions involved in social cognition and highlight the utility of brain imaging to reveal the way neural systems are engaged in different communication contexts. Understanding these differences in neural activation can provide insight into how the brain processes different communication methods and guide us to build tools that will aid text-based communication to provide more naturalistic experiences

The multiple roles of media use within the family system during lockdown: a thematic analysis of parental reports from the UK

Children's media use increased during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Here, we present a thematic analysis of online survey responses from 69 parents (of children aged 0–11 years) who described their family media use after the first UK lockdown. Data highlight an increased reliance on media use driven by the challenges of managing time, work, leisure and social connection. Parents reported the additional work of regulating family media use amidst concerns about harmful effects. We draw on an ecological systems approach to discuss how the role of media in family functioning is determined by societal institutions and discourses around parenting and screens

Skill assessment in upper limb myoelectric prosthesis users: Validation of a clinically feasible method for characterising upper limb temporal and amplitude variability during the performance of functional tasks

Upper limb myoelectric prostheses remain challenging to use and are often abandoned. A proficient user must be able to plan/execute arm movements while activating the residual muscle(s), accounting for delays and unpredictability in prosthesis response. There is no validated, low cost measure of skill in performing such actions. Trial-trial variability of joint angle trajectories measured during functional task performance, linearly normalised by time, shows promise. However, linear normalisation of time introduces errors, and expensive camera systems are required for joint angle measurements. This study investigated whether trial-trial variability, assessed using dynamic time warping (DTW)of limb segment acceleration measured during functional task performance, is a valid measure of user skill. Temporal and amplitude variability of forearm accelerations were determined in 1) seven myoelectric prosthesis users and six anatomically-intact controls and 2) seven anatomically-intact subjects learning to use a prosthesis simulator over repeated sessions. 1: temporal variability showed clear group differences (p<0.05). 2: temporal variability considerably increased on first use of a prosthesis simulator, then declined with training (both p<0.05). Amplitude variability showed less obvious differences. Analysing forearm accelerations using DTW appears to be a valid low-cost method for quantifying movement quality of upper limb prosthesis use during goal-oriented task performance

Towards a Theoretical Framework for Understanding the Development of Media Related Needs

The question of why people select and prefer particular media activities has led to the development of a number of ‘needs’ approaches to media use. Whilst some frameworks have been developed within the context of media use (e.g. uses and gratifications), others (e.g. Tamborini et al, 2011) look to combine general theories of basic human needs, such as Self-Determination Theory (Deci &Ryan, 1985) with hedonic gratifications. Drawing on these approaches, a framework is proposed that maps findings from children’s and adolescents’ media use to four basic human needs: competence, autonomy, relatedness and hedonic needs. The current paper argues that a basic needs approach is useful for understanding how media-related needs emerge and are expressed through development

Looking to remember : eye movements, search and memory in a free viewing task

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo