scholarly journals Disentangling the Echo Chamber: How Exposure to Congruent and Incongruent Opinion Climates on Social Networking Sites Impacts Users’ Processing and Selection of Information

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Cargnino ◽  
German Neubaum
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Political Communication ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Selective Exposure ◽  
Psychological Consequences ◽  
Political Issues ◽  
Echo Chamber ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Selection Of

The growing significance of social networking sites (SNS) for political communication has been stimulating research on the psychological consequences of virtually conveyed opinion climates. The present research suggests that the exposure to both overly congruent and incongruent opinion climates on SNS can increase opinion strength and selective exposure while decreasing political tolerance. It is proposed that a balance of congruent and incongruent views can mitigate these effects provided that users do not identify with an ideological camp. In a representative pre-registered online experiment (N = 704), the levels of political congruence with an opinion climate on SNS and political social identity were manipulated. Different from what was hypothesized, results revealed very limited effects of political congruence. A salient political social identity decreases tolerance and opinion strength, but only for certain political issues. These results put earlier findings on the impact of opinion climates conveyed by social media into perspective.

scholarly journals We're a Good Match: Selective Political Friending on Social Networking Sites

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Cargnino ◽  
German Neubaum ◽  
Stephan Winter
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
User Behavior ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Selective Exposure ◽  
Cognitive Closure ◽  
Political Issues ◽  
Shared Reality ◽  
Social Affiliations

Political social media use has become the topic of a growing amount of scholarship. In this regard, the role of user behavior in the formation of politically homogeneous environments (so-called echo chambers) is not fully understood. Building on the concept of selective exposure, we introduce the notion of selective political friending, i.e., the preference for political like-mindedness in social affiliations on social networking sites. In a pre-registered laboratory experiment (N = 199), we find that users preferably build connections to those who share opinions toward controversial political issues. Political like-mindedness outperforms advantages based on the popularity of another user or the career-related fit with another user. Political friending is particularly pronounced when individuals’ pre-existing opinions are strong, while tendencies toward cognitive closure and the desire for shared reality do not impact like-minded friending. The present study unravels psychological patterns in the process of tie-building on SNS and points to the necessity to take motivational complexity into account when studying phenomena linked to political homogeneity. Being the first study to systematically address politically motivated contact choices on social networking sites jointly with their psychological antecedents, this study sheds new light on the debate about like-mindedness in online communication.

scholarly journals Competing Principals 2.0? The impact of Facebook in the 2013 selection of the Italian Head of State

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 313-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Ceron
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Primary Elections ◽  
Head Of State ◽  
Party Line ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Selection Of

Motivated by the literature on ‘competing principals’, this article studies the effect of interactive social networking sites on the behavior of politicians. For this purpose, 12,455 comments posted on the Facebook walls of 423 Italian MPs have been analyzed to assess whether Facebook played a role in the selection of the Italian Head of State in 2013, enhancing responsiveness. The statistical analysis reveals that the pressure exerted through social media did not affect MPs’ propensity to express public dissent over the party line, which is instead affected by more traditional ‘principals’ and factors: seniority, primary elections, and factional membership.

scholarly journals The Perceived Impact of Social Networking Sites and Apps on the Social Capital of Saudi Postgraduate Students: A Case Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Abdulelah A. Alghamdi ◽  
Margaret Plunkett
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Civic Participation ◽  
Social Trust ◽  
Political Engagement ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact

With the increased use of Social Networking Sites and Apps (SNSAs) in Saudi Arabia, it is important to consider the impact of this on the social lives of tertiary students, who are heavy users of such technology. A mixed methods study exploring the effect of SNSAs use on the social capital of Saudi postgraduate students was conducted using a multidimensional construct of social capital, which included the components of life satisfaction, social trust, civic participation, and political engagement. Data were collected through surveys and interviews involving 313 male and 293 female postgraduate students from Umm Al-Qura University (UQU) in Makkah. Findings show that male and female participants perceived SNSAs use impacting all components of social capital at a moderate and mainly positive level. Correlational analysis demonstrated medium to large positive correlations among components of social capital. Gender differences were not evident in the life satisfaction and social trust components; however, females reported more involvement with SNSAs for the purposes of political engagement while males reported more use for civic participation, which is an interesting finding, in light of the norms and traditional culture of Saudi society.

scholarly journals Perceptions of Saudi Male and Female Postgraduate Students Regarding the Impact of Social Networking Sites and Apps on their Academic Life: A Study of Umm Al-Qura University – Makkah

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (05) ◽  
pp. 19
Author(s):  
Abdulelah A. Alghamdi ◽  
Margaret Plunkett
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Academic Engagement ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Education Environment ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Saudi Male

This paper outlines a study exploring the perceptions of Saudi male and female postgraduate students regarding the impact of using Social Networking Sites and Apps (SNSAs) on their academic engagement and academic relationships. While research on SNSA use within the higher education environment does exist, mixed gender research has often presented challenges in Saudi Arabia, due to the educational segregation. A mixed methods approach was used to collect data through surveys, individual interviews and focus groups involving 313 male and 293 female postgraduate students at Umm Al-Qura University (UQU) in Makkah. Findings illustrated that both males and females engaged with SNSAs at a moderate level of use for academic purposes, and they perceived more positive than negative impacts associated with the academic use of SNSAs. Correlational analysis demonstrated a large positive correlation between academic engagement and academic relationships. Gender differences were not extensive however, the quantitative analysis highlighted more prominent involvement with SNSAs by females which is interesting, in light of social restrictions experienced by females in Saudi society.

A Case of Academic Social Networking Sites Usage in Malaysia

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 88-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Salahshour ◽  
Halina Mohamed Dahlan ◽  
Noorminshah A. Iahad
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Perceived Usefulness ◽  
Privacy And Security ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
New Type ◽  
Technology And Communication ◽  
The Impact

Social networking tools have become an integral part of our daily lives. Recently, a new type of Social Networking Sites (SNSs) namely Academic Social Networking sites (ASNSs) has attracted global users. There is perceived usefulness on the impact of ASNSs on patterns of academic research activities. However, it remains unclear why some researchers do not use ASNSs at all. The purpose of this paper is therefore to explore the ASNSs usage among Malaysian academic researchers and to investigate benefits, specific purpose, drivers and barriers of using ASNSs. A total of 210 completed cases were collected through paper-based and online-based questionnaire. In order to show the outcome of the research, descriptive interpretation of data is performed. The overall findings of this research indicate that there is low rate of ASNSs usage among researchers. In addition, the results show that colleagues, attitude toward technology and communication benefits are the drivers to use ASNSs and trust, privacy and security are the common barriers regarding to use ASNSs.

scholarly journals The Commodification of Body Positivity: Constructing a Neoliberal Fat Citizenship

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rhiannon Sian Downey
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking ◽  
Communication Technology ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Social Resistance ◽  
Resistance Movements ◽  
Body Positive ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Positive Content

From inspirational messages to celebrated pictures of cellulite and belly rolls, body positive content has become increasingly popular on social media platforms, particularly on image-based networking sites. With the rapid growth of communication technology, it is not surprising that social networking sites, such as Instagram, have become one of the most dominant and influential mediates to cultivating awareness, foster community, and advocate for social change. Instagram’s transition to an advertising platform, however, has introduced a consumerist structure to user activity for corporations to better direct advertisements at target audiences. A once social movement advocating for the rejection of thin beauty ideals in favour of a more inclusive and positive conception of body image has felt the impact of commoditization on its message and advocates. Through Foucauldian Discourse Analysis, this research study seeks to analyze the impact of Instagram’s transition to a commercialization platform on the self-representation of body positive advocates to better understand the influence of neoliberal and capitalist structures on social resistance movements and strategies.

scholarly journals Appraisal patterns as predictors of emotional expressions and shares on political social networking sites

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Zerback ◽  
Dominique S. Wirz
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking ◽  
Political Communication ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Emotional Reactions ◽  
Appraisal Theory ◽  
Emotional Expressions ◽  
Automated Content Analysis ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Attitudes And Behavior ◽  
Citizens Attitudes

Emotions are considered important drivers of the diffusion of messages on social networking sites. Therefore, emotion-eliciting political communication yields the potential to reach broad audiences and to influence citizens’ attitudes and behavior. In this study, we investigate message characteristics that potentially trigger emotional reactions on part of the users of political social networking pages and test if this fosters the diffusion of political content in the network. Based on appraisal theory, we employ a manual coding scheme to identify appraisal dimensions in political parties’ Facebook posts that should trigger sadness or anger. We subsequently combine the manual codings with information of the users’ reactions to the respective posts, which we gathered using an automated content analysis. More specifically, we determine (1) if posts that include sadness or anger appraisals are associated with the corresponding emotional reactions in the form of emojis and (2) if these posts are shared more often.

scholarly journals The use of social networking sites and their relation to the behavior of the university student: استخدام مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي وعلاقتها بالسلوك الانحرافي لدى الطالب الجامعي

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Djeboub Walid
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Deviant Behavior ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Simple Random Sampling ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact ◽  
University Community

This study aimed to show the extent of teenagers who represent students Tèbessa University contents of violence and crime that is seen or published or traded them through the media and communication affected, especially through social networking sites and networks, such as Facebook and stringing YouTube and Skype, etc., which may contribute to the formation and strengthening of behaviors negative in these through the following problem: Do you contribute to social networking sites through the implications of violence and crime in a negative impact on the behaviors of the students within the university community ?, also deliberately researcher to sample the estimated inventory of 50 students schooled at the Faculty of Economics and Commercial Sciences and Management Sciences of each section by an estimated 10% of the study population as a whole's (2000) the adoption of simple random sampling technique, the results have also been addressing the adoption system (SPSS) , Which resulted in the results: the presence of a statistically significant correlation between the students' use of social networking sites and the spread of deviant behavior within the university community?, And no statistically significant differences in the adverse effects of the use of social networking sites on the behavior of students depending on the sex variable, the largest of any female average for the benefit of, No statistically significant differences in the adverse effects of the use of social networking sites on the behavior of students depending on the variable physical level ?,No statistically significant differences in the adverse effects of the use of social networking sites on the behavior of the students due to the level of scientific student ?,The study also called attention to the recent media study the impact of the implications of violence and crime across social networking on the behavior of young people and adolescents sites, spreading awareness programs to help solve the problems of this phenomenon.

scholarly journals Impact of Social Media Visuals on People’s Visual Communication during Social Movements in Bangladesh

2019 ◽  
pp. 9-18
Author(s):  
MD Saiful Alam Chowdhury ◽  
Monira Begum ◽  
Shaolin Shaon
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Movements ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Visual Communication ◽  
Online News ◽  
Substantial Role ◽  
The Past ◽  
Popular View ◽  
The Impact

The past decade has seen an armorial growth of the influence of social media on many aspects of people’s lives. Social networking sites, especially Facebook, play a substantial role in framing popular view through its contents. This article explores the impact of visuals, especially photos and videos, published in social media during social movements. Importantly that some visuals received attention in social media during agitations which later got featured or become news in print, electronic and online news portal media as well. Some of the visuals later proved to be edited or fabricated contents which created confusion among participants in this research and beyond. The confusion has contributed to the acceleration or shrinkage of the movement in question in many cases. The center of this article is to examine how social media visuals influence people’s visual communication during social movements. Additionally, it digs out the user’s activity on social media during movements.

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