Building and Maintaining Relationships in the Digital Age: Using Social Penetration Theory to Explore Communication through Social Networking Sites

The purpose of this research is to extend Social Penetration Theory (SPT) beyond face-to-face (FtF) relational development by taking into account the unique nature of online interpersonal interactions and self-disclosure practices. More specifically, by applying SPT to social networking sites (SNSs) for relational development and maintenance, this research seeks to test the major assumptions of the theory regarding relational development and self-disclosure. Three studies were conducted to assess SPT in relation to communication online. The first study, discussed in Chapter Three, used a combination of survey and quantitative content analysis of Facebook profiles (N = 103) to look at the depth and breadth of communication across the various stages of relationships maintained online. The second and third studies, discussed in Chapter Four, considered how variables related to communication online (audience awareness, information seeking, and privacy concerns) affected relational maintenance and dissolution. The second study utilized focus groups (N = 26) to generate reasons for why users of SNSs would end relationships online (e.g., oversharing, conflict). The third and final study used this list to survey participants (N = 312) about their own social network of choice (Facebook, Twitter or Instagram). Participants were asked to consider how the reasons generated in the second study related to their own decisions to “unfriend” or “hide” specific members of their social network, reporting on up to 10 members for each participant for a total of 3,062 cases. Participants also discussed their own information seeking and audience awareness as it related to SNS use. Altogether, these three studies highlight important variables needed to consider relational maintenance and development in a multimodal world, supporting the primary claim of SPT that in weighing the costs and rewards of self-disclosure, relational closeness is the best predictor of satisfaction

Impression management and formation on Facebook: A lens model approach

To extend research on online impression formation and warranting theory, the present investigation reports a Brunswick lens model analysis of Facebook profiles. Facebook users’ (N = 100) personality (i.e., extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, openness) was self-reported. Facebook users’ profiles were then content analyzed for the presence and rate of 53 cues. Observers (N = 35), who were strangers to profile owners, estimated profile owner personality. Results indicate that observers could accurately estimate profile owners’ extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. For all personality traits except neuroticism, unique profile cues were diagnostic warrants of personality (i.e., indicative of profile owner personality and used to estimate personality by strangers). The results are discussed in relation to warranting theory, impression formation, and lens model research

Connecting Through Technology During COVID-19

This manuscript examines the patterns of information communication technology (ICT) use with friends and family outside of the home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the associations among ICT use and psychological (i.e., loneliness; stress) and social (i.e., social needs; relationship maintenance) wellbeing. In early May 2020, a representative panel of American adults was surveyed (N = 1,947). Results suggest that despite 90% of the sample complying with shelter-in-place (SIP) orders, face-to-face contact with friends and family outside of the home was the primary predictor of getting one’s social needs met and mitigating loneliness. In contrast with predictions drawn from media richness theory, voice calls were associated with less stress, loneliness, and relationship maintenance difficulties, while video chat was positively associated with all three. Moderation analyses suggested that other factors (i.e., SIP, age) influenced the strength of association between modalities (i.e., face-to-face, email, social media) and outcomes. The theoretical implications for MRT and the practical implications for mediated sociality during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic are discussed

Communication outside of the Home through Social Media during COVID-19

This study explored, through quantitative and qualitative survey analysis (N = 307), the role of communication through social media during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected in April 2020 to understand how individuals engaged with their network through social media and the subsequent relationship with subjective well-being, conceptualized as loneliness, life satisfaction, and positive and negative affect. Results identified that passive social media use contributed to greater loneliness and a decrease in life satisfaction. Some active use of social media contributed to an increase in positive affect. However, other active uses increased feelings of loneliness. Results also spoke to differences across platforms, with time on Twitter leading to increased feelings of loneliness. Qualitative results pointed to an increase in social media use during the pandemic while also highlighting the opportunity to digitally reconnect with old friends and family

Engaging Students in Online Discussion Boards

My best teaching practices offers four tips for engaging students in online discussion boards in the digital classroom. By identifying several ways to improve upon this commonly used classroom tool, the poster highlights how to engage students in learning in the course.https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/btp_expo/1131/thumbnail.jp

Social interaction, support preferences, and the use of wearable health trackers

IntroductionDrawing on uses and gratifications theory, social cognitive theory, and related work, this research assessed how social factors relate to reported weekly use and behavioral intentions toward the use of wearable health trackers (WHT).MethodsThrough two studies we surveyed current users of WHT, including smartwatches, to better understand what factors encouraged engagement. Study One (N = 333) consisted of a college student sample. Study Two (N = 319) was conducted through an online panel from Prolific.ResultsFor Study One, results suggested that connection, social comparison, and one's comfort with seeking support predicted weekly use, while need for support was a negative predictor of device use. In terms of behavioral intentions, connection and one's comfort with seeking support remained positive predictors. For Study Two, only one's comfort with seeking support predicted weekly use, while one's comfort with seeking support and social sharing both predicted behavioral intentions. Additional analysis in Study Two comparing users of dedicated WHT and smartwatches also found differences in terms of behavioral intentions and social sharing.DiscussionCollectively, the two studies offer insight into what social factors contribute to the use of WHT, including evidence that one's need for support for exercise may serve as a barrier to WHT use

Morbidity prevalence estimate at six months following a stroke (MORe PREcISE): protocol for a cohort study

Background: Knowledge of the prevalence of morbidity secondary to stroke is important for health care professionals, health care commissioners, third sector organizations, and stroke survivors to understand the likely progress of poststroke sequelae and to aid in commissioning decisions, planning care, and adjusting to life after stroke. Objective: The primary aim of the Morbidity PRevalence Estimate In StrokE (MORe PREcISE) study is to determine the prevalence of morbidity secondary to a stroke, predictors of morbidity, and trends in quality of life and functional status using patient-reported outcomes, cognitive and functional assessments. Methods: A total of 500 participants will be recruited across Wales and England within 14 days following an admission to a stroke unit for either an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke as part of a multicenter cohort study. Participants are assessed at baseline ≤14 days poststroke and subsequently at 90 (± 14) days and 180 (± 14) days poststroke. At each time point, data will be collected relating to the following domains: participant demographics, routine clinical, patient reported, cognitive status, emotional well-being, and functional ability. Results: Recruitment commenced in October 2018 with 20 sites opened as of September 2019 and was closed on October 31, 2019. Conclusions: The primary outcome is the prevalence of morbidity at 6 months secondary to a stroke. Further analysis will consider temporal changes in the health-related domains to describe trends among baseline, 3-, and 6-month time points

An analysis of humor orientation on Facebook: A lens model approach

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/humr.2014.27.issue-1/humor-2013-0053/humor-2013-0053.xml.This article presents the results of a mixed method analysis of the use and perception of humor orientation (HO) on Facebook (FB) profiles (N = 100). Results of the lens model analysis suggest that a variety of profile cues, not just those directly related to humor, are used by FB users to demonstrate HO and by observers to perceive HO. Cues used by profile owners and perceived by strangers as indicative of a humorous disposition include: status updates that contained relational talk, humor in profile pictures, humor in quotes, the number of times FB friends “liked” status updates, and the number of unique friends who commented on status updates. Additionally, political talk in status updates was negatively related to users' HO and observers' impressions of users' HO. A qualitative thematic analysis of the FB profiles was then conducted. Those analyses suggested that cues diagnostic of users' HO thematically focused on daily life events, popculture references, and selfrelated anecdotes. Implications for the expression of and perception of humor on FB are discussed

Does device matter? Impacts of food-specific inhibition training on food choice, liking and approach bias when delivered by smartphone or computer.

Food-specific inhibition training (FSIT) requires users to inhibit responses to energy-dense (ED) food stimuli within a reaction time game. FSIT reduces choice and liking of ED foods. Research with the public shows larger effects when FSIT is delivered by computer versus smartphone. This pre-registered study is the first to compare computer-FSIT versus smartphone-FSIT in a controlled setting. Three-hundred-and-thirty-one adults were randomised to computer-FSIT, smartphone-FSIT or non-food control training (computer-delivered). In session 1, participants completed baseline measures of impulsive food choice, food approach bias (approach/avoid implicit association test), and food liking ratings, before completing eight minutes of FSIT/control training. In session 2, participants repeated the same training task, followed by the same measures of food choice, approach bias and liking. We hypothesised that FSIT groups would show healthier food choices, lower ED food liking, and reduced ED food approach bias at post-training compared to control. We expected no statistically significant differences between the two FSIT groups. Post-exclusions, data for 259 participants was analysed. Contrary to predictions, there was no evidence of significant group differences on any of the outcome measures. Baseline measures suggest participants already showed high approach to healthy foods, which may explain these null results

Kinetics, Products, and Brown Carbon Formation by Aqueous-Phase Reactions of Glycolaldehyde with Atmospheric Amines and Ammonium Sulfate

Glycolaldehyde (GAld) is a C2 water-soluble aldehyde produced during the atmospheric oxidation of isoprene and many other species and is commonly found in cloudwater. Previous work has established that glycolaldehyde evaporates more readily from drying aerosol droplets containing ammonium sulfate (AS) than does glyoxal, methylglyoxal, or hydroxyacetone, which implies that it does not oligomerize as quickly as these other species. Here, we report NMR measurements of glycolaldehyde’s aqueous-phase reactions with AS, methylamine, and glycine. Reaction rate constants are smaller than those of respective glyoxal and methylglyoxal reactions in the pH range of 3–6. In follow-up cloud chamber experiments, deliquesced glycine and AS seed particles were found to take up glycolaldehyde and methylamine and form brown carbon. At very high relative humidity, these changes were more than 2 orders of magnitude faster than predicted by our bulk liquid NMR kinetics measurements, suggesting that reactions involving surface-active species at crowded air–water interfaces may play an important role. The high-resolution liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–mass spectrometric analysis of filter extracts of unprocessed AS + GAld seed particles identified sugar-like C6 and C12 GAld oligomers, including proposed product 3-deoxyglucosone, with and without modification by reactions with ammonia to diimine and imidazole forms. Chamber exposure to methylamine gas, cloud processing, and simulated sunlight increased the incorporation of both ammonia and methylamine into oligomers. Many C4–C16 imidazole derivatives were detected in an extract of chamber-exposed aerosol along with a predominance of N-derivatized C6 and C12 glycolaldehyde oligomers, suggesting that GAld is capable of forming brown carbon SOA