The gateway bug to edible insect consumption: interactions between message framing, celebrity endorsement and online social support

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiffany S. Legendre ◽  
Melissa A. Baker

Purpose Climate change and global population growth are threatening the sustainability of hospitality food systems. Foodservice organizations are seeking an optimal solution for this problem. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization proposed edible insects as a solution, yet the “yuck” factor discourages consumers from actively endorsing this option. Thus, this study aims to find ways to increase consumer acceptance of edible insects. Design/methodology/approach A 2 (message framing: hedonic vs utilitarian) × 2 (celebrity endorsement: absence vs presence) × 2 (social support: low vs high) between-subjects factorial design experiment was conducted. Findings The significant three-way interaction effects show that when celebrity endorsement is absent, there is no difference in restaurant advocacy (RA) and experience satisfaction between utilitarian and hedonic message framing, regardless of low (vs high) social support. However, when celebrity endorsement is present and social support is not lacking, a hedonic (vs a utilitarian) message had more significant effects on dependent variables. Conversely, when celebrity-endorsed messages receive high social support, utilitarian (vs hedonic) messages had a more substantial effect on the outcome variables. Originality/value This study contributes to alternative protein and associated consumer psychology and hospitality marketing literature by introducing marketing strategies for edible insects. By demonstrating the three-way interaction effects of message framing, celebrity, endorsement and social support on RA and experience satisfaction, this study could demonstrate some boundary conditions to consider when applying celebrity endorsement strategies (e.g. message framing and social support). Also, by addressing the effects of social support, this study builds upon the lack of hospitality literature on online social support.

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tyler Prochnow ◽  
Megan S. Patterson ◽  
Logan Hartnell

Purpose The increase of videogame use has raised concerns regarding mental health of gamers (e.g. social isolation, depression); however, online gaming may offer the benefit of social connectivity. Many games provide ways for people to meet and interact, providing social opportunities difficult to come by for some young adults. One way to investigate social connection is through social network analysis, which explores the influence of connections on behaviors. The purpose of this paper is to analyze factors related to social connections within an online gaming community, with an emphasis on the influence of social support and depressive symptoms on network ties. Design/methodology/approach All members of an online gaming site were asked to report demographics, site use, depressive symptoms, “in-real-life” (IRL) social support, and online social support. Members were also asked to nominate those in their gaming network with whom they spoke to about important life matters. Moran’s I determined the spatial autocorrelation of depressive symptoms and IRL support within the network. Exponential random graph modeling determined factors significantly associated with tie presence between members. Findings Members (n=37) were significantly more likely to speak to other members about important life matters if they reported more site hours, more depressive symptoms, and less IRL support. Depressive symptoms and IRL support were not significantly spatially autocorrelated within this network. Originality/value Results suggest members may be filling an IRL social support deficit with friends they have met online. Additionally, members who reported more depressive symptoms may be seeking help from informal online connections through online gaming.


2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 531-550 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao-Min Chiu ◽  
Chia-Yun Fu ◽  
Wei-Yu Lin ◽  
Chieh-Fan Chen

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a deeper understanding of how to promote members’ beneficial behaviors toward other members and toward the virtual community (VC). The authors extend Ray et al.’s (2014) framework by developing a more precise definition of community embeddedness, and determining how such embeddedness relates to social support and community engagement. Design/methodology/approach The authors test the proposed research model using data collected from 333 users of online social support communities/groups dedicated to sharing knowledge about pregnancy and child care. Partial least squares is used to analyze the measurement and structural models. Findings The study shows that embeddedness and engagement are significant determinants of willingness to help others and willingness to help the community. Embeddedness has a strong, positive effect on engagement. Social support positively affects community identification and embeddedness. However, community identification does not have a significant effect on engagement. Research limitations/implications Some of the findings, such as the relative importance of embeddedness in fostering willingness to help the community and the relative importance of engagement in fostering willingness to help others, might not be generalizable to VCs where members join for fun and sharing interests. Practical implications Although knowledge contributors could self-derive some drivers of embeddedness and engagement, managers or hosts of VCs should develop strategies and mechanisms to provide or enhance the value they add to knowledge sharing and other beneficial behaviors, even though such added value might be largely intangible. Social implications Social support plays an important role in shaping an individual’s embeddedness within a VC. Managers of VCs should develop strategies to stimulate exchanges of support among members. Originality/value The authors believe that community embeddedness plays a more important role than engagement in shaping the VC’s success and effectiveness. However, the extant VC literature has indicated a relatively weak understanding of the notion of community embeddedness. This study intends to fill that void.


2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 283-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hatem Bugshan ◽  
M. Nick Hajli ◽  
Xiaolin Lin ◽  
Mauricio Featherman ◽  
Ivan Cohen

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore in depth how Web 2.0 (focusing on social media) contributes to create a better communication channel to provide information, support and assistance to patients. Social relationships of individuals on the Internet through social media have created added value for many industries. This phenomenon can be an opportunity for the health care industry, which has encountered huge challenges such as increasing demands, budget cuts, growing numbers of patients and more demanding patient expectations. Web 2.0 and social media have the potential value to make possible an increase in the productivity of modern health care and a reduction in cost to the central government. Social media introduces better channels of communication with patients to increase the value of e-health. Social media are building more social communities that empower patients to share their personalized health information and treatments. Design/methodology/approach – Grounded on social support and transaction cost theories, this paper evaluates the current potential of social media to discuss values it can offer for the overall benefit of the health care industry. Findings – The results show how the social relationship of individuals provides online social support and reduction of cost through social media, leading to the development of modern health care. Implications and limitations are discussed at the end of the paper. Originality/value – The analysis results indicated that social media provides strong social support for patients who seek help online. Informational support and emotional support have been confirmed as two main dimensions of social support in online health care. It makes a contribution to the health care literature by extending it to online health care support in the context of social media. It may inform and provide some initial understanding to guide future research. In addition, this study indicates that social support theory and transaction cost are appropriate theoretical foundations for studies of online health care. This finding is very valuable, as it helps researchers to advance the understanding of how social media support online health care.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongze Yang ◽  
Zeyu Peng ◽  
Xitong Guo ◽  
Kee-Hung Lai

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to identify patient experience unique to online pharmacy services (OPS) based on the characteristics of OPS (i.e. interactivity and virtuality) and to reveal how patient experience is derived from OPS and thereby enhances patient adherence from both online social support and patient experience perspectives.Design/methodology/approachThe Stimulus-Organism-Response framework was used to conceptualize this study; both primary and secondary data for 296 validated participants were collected on a real OPS platform. A structural equation modeling approach combined with partial least squares was employed for the quantitative analysis.FindingsSocial presence and user engagement can be identified as patient experience in the OPS context; online emotional support has a stronger association with patients' social presence than it does with patients' user engagement; patients' social presence has a stronger association with their medication adherence than it does with diet adherence, while patients' user engagement has a stronger association with their diet adherence than it does with medication adherence; patients' medication knowledge negatively moderates the relationship between user engagement and diet adherence.Originality/valueThis study identifies patient experience in accordance with unique characteristics of OPS, and it reveals the nuanced underlying mechanisms by which online social support is associated with patient experience and by which patients' experience is associated with their adherence. This study enriches the literature on patient adherence, patient experience and OPS, providing insights for healthcare providers, OPS designers and policymakers.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheng-Yu Lin ◽  
En-Yi Chou ◽  
Heng-Chiang Huang

PurposeSocial networking sites (SNSs) have significantly influenced people's lives and changed their behavior. Although previous research has explored self-disclosure in virtual communities, little is known about the impact of other users, particularly their online social support, on self-disclosure. The aim of this study is to explore how online social support dimensions (i.e., emotional, informational, esteem, instrumental and network support) influence people's self-disclosure, which in turn affects their commitment to SNSs.Design/methodology/approachBased on social exchange theory, this study proposes a research model that explores the role of other users on self-disclosure. This study collects data from a sample of 558 respondents and applies the structural equation modeling technique to test the research model.FindingsThe findings show that users are motivated to disclose information and commit to a specific SNS because of the supportive climate. Results also show that self-disclosure mediates the effect of online social support on users' commitment to SNSs.Originality/valueThis study focuses on the influence of other users' roles on self-disclosure on SNSs, extending the application of social exchange theory.


2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiuying Zheng ◽  
Tang Yao ◽  
Xiucheng Fan

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the dynamics of online health care communities and the impact of two-way online social support on customers’ well-being and patients’ quality of life, at different social exclusion levels. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey in China’s Anti-Hepatitis B Online Community includes 326 respondents. A combined hierarchical regression analysis and structural equation model test the hypotheses. Findings – Both receiving and giving online social support, as reciprocal altruism behaviors, enhance patients’ well-being. Receiving online social support influences psychological well-being most; giving has the largest impact on existential domains. Social exclusion boosts the benefits of giving online social support but attenuates the benefits of receiving it. Research limitations/implications – This research focusses on the effects of online social support among socially excluded patients. Extensions could rely on objective instead of subjective measures and alternative methodologies to test the underlying processes. Additional insights could derive from a bidirectional perspective. Practical implications – Medical treatment institutions should leverage customer resources; health care providers should prioritize patients who feel socially excluded as effective online support providers. Health care community administrators can use several means to convince patients to contribute to communities. Originality/value – Social support in online health care communities is a collaborative service that uses customers as service resources. This study explains the collaborative service and how customers feel about their bidirectional roles. It also extends reciprocal altruism research to a health information technology realm by systematically exploring how giving, vs receiving, online social support affects customers’ well-being.


2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tyler Prochnow ◽  
Megan S. Patterson ◽  
Logan Hartnell ◽  
M. Renée Umstattd Meyer

Purpose Increases in video game use have led to mental health concerns, citing greater risk for depressive symptoms (DS) and reduced “in-real-life” (IRL) social involvement. However, recent studies have uncovered potential social benefits for online gaming. Many games provide avenues to extend real life relationships and make new online friendships. The purpose of this pilot study is to use social network analysis to determine associations between connections and DS in a gaming community. Design/methodology/approach As a pilot study, members of an online gaming site were asked to report demographic characteristics, DS, IRL social support, online social support and IRL people and members of the online community with whom they spoke to about important life matters. Multi-level modeling was used to parse variance described by demographic characteristics, IRL measures and online measures. Linear network autocorrelation modeling (LNAM) was used to determine relationships between network connections and DS. Findings Members (n = 37; µ = 24.76 years old, SD = 6.55; 100% male; 89.2% white) on average felt DS’ “not at all” to “several days” over the past two weeks. Multi-level modeling including online network measures explained 50% of variance (R2 = 0.50, F (9,27) = 2.98, p = 0.01); online connections were associated with DS (ß = 0.46). LNAM indicated DS were associated with IRL support (ß = −2.66), IRL connections (ß = 1.81), online support (ß = 2.40) and network effects (ß = 0.06), which indicates that a gamer’s DS were similar to those of their online connections. Originality/value Members with more DS may be seeking help via online channels. This may be important for future research to consider alternative forms of help-seeking behavior.


2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 178-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naveenraj Xavier ◽  
Reeves Wesley J.

Purpose Workplace stress is on the rise and progressive organizations devise their own mechanisms to mitigate it and enhance mental wellbeing (MWB). Of late, the workforce is increasingly dependent on social networking sites (SNS) for social exchanges and debate is well documented if SNS could be used to mediate the relationship between stress and MWB. The purpose of this paper is to investigate this relationship. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on a survey of 269 employees, on the following constructs: stress, online social support (OSS) and MWB. The authors’ proposed framework was investigated using structural equation modeling. Findings Results indicated that stress has a significant negative effect on MWB and subsequently, OSS partially mediates the relationship between stress and MWB. The results suggest that organizations allow the use of social networking site in a controlled setting so that employees could use this as a mechanism to control stress and enhance MWB. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study on OSS role in mediating the relationship between stress and MWB.


2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Beatson ◽  
Aimee Riedel ◽  
Marianella Chamorro-Koc ◽  
Greg Marston ◽  
Lisa Stafford

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of social support on young adults with disabilities (YAWDs) independent mobility behavior with the aim of understanding how better to support this vulnerable consumer segment in their transition into the workforce. Design/methodology/approach A survey was conducted which examined how social support (high and low) influenced YAWD’s path to independent mobility behavior. The data were analyzed using partial least squares-SEM. Findings It was identified that different factors were more effective at influencing independent mobility behavior for high and low socially supported YAWDs. For high social support individuals, anticipated positive emotions and perceived behavioral control were found to drive attitudes to independent mobility with perceived behavioral control significantly stronger for this group than the low socially supported group. For the low socially supported group, all factors were found to drive attitudes which then drove individual behavior. One entire path (risk aversion to anticipated negative emotions to attitude to behavior) was found to be stronger for low supported individuals compared to high. Originality/value This study is unique in that it is the first to identify the theoretical constructs that drive vulnerable consumer’s independence behavior and understand how these factors can be influenced to increase independence. It is also the first to identify that different factors influence independent behavior for vulnerable consumers with high and low social support with anticipated negative emotions important for consumers with low social support and perceived behavioral control important for those with high social support.


2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Kahana ◽  
Daniel Stokols ◽  
Leah Van Deth ◽  
Cathy Hayakawa

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