scholarly journals Suicide Communication on Social Media and Its Psychological Mechanisms: An Examination of Chinese Microblog Users

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 11506-11527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qijin Cheng ◽  
Chi Kwok ◽  
Tingshao Zhu ◽  
Li Guan ◽  
Paul Yip
2021 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-160
Author(s):  
Dusko Prelevic

The phenomenon of post-truth, in which truth (or facts or the best scientific evidence) is brushed aside in public debates, has recently caught the eye of many philosophers, who typically see it as a threat to deliberative democracy. In this paper, it is argued that Gustave Le Bon?s remarks on crowd psychology, which had been very popular in past (and brushed aside later on), might be relevant for a better understanding of psychological mechanisms that lead to post-truth. According to Le Bon, crowds are often irrational, whereas those who try to convince them to do something should use specific techniques of persuasion, such as affirmation, repetition, contagion and prestige, of which the last one can be undermined either by fiasco (the fastest way), or by critique (a bit slower, but nonetheless effective way). It is the age of posttruth that goes towards the neutralization of any critique (Le Bon himself considered such neutralization devastating for democratic societies), which has been, according to some authors, affected to a great extent by technological innovations in media, such as social media that some authors consider anti-social due to their negative impact on society. I argue that Le Bon?s insights might be useful to members of scientific and philosophical community in their attempts to eliminate the spreading of quasi-scientific views in public discourse.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 174-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajiv Gupta ◽  
Arunima Gupta ◽  
Dharmender Nehra

Introduction: The volcanic eruption of the #MeToo movement shows that the problem was there for long and was simmering on. The movement was initiated with the aim of knowing the magnitude of the problem and has now spread worldwide. The cases of the Me Too sexual wave are recent and have not yet attracted much scientific attention, though literature on sexual harassment is widely available and the psychological mechanisms implicated in this movement can be understood and examined through it. Objectives: This article aims to attract attention of the medical fraternity to update themselves of this issue which is essential for better understanding of the movement which has potentially good, bad, and ugly undercurrents. We will call attention to these aspects perusing the literature both at national and international levels. This would also be subjected to an analysis of the established concepts and principles of human psychology and behavior. Conclusion: It is amply clear that the time for sweeping things under the carpet is over and the catharsis that flooded the social media, print media, and TV just show how important it is to make the future workplace fair to both genders.


Author(s):  
Throuvala ◽  
Griffiths ◽  
Rennoldson ◽  
Kuss

Adolescents actively use social media, which engages them cognitively, emotionally, and behaviorally. However, the underlying psychological mechanisms of engagement have not been adequately addressed. The present study examined adolescents’ psychological processes as these develop in their everyday interactions via social media. The sample comprised six focus groups with 42 adolescents from UK-based schools. Data were analyzed using constructivist grounded theory. The resulting concepts related to individual, social, and structurally related processes, highlighting a synergy between the processes underlying use and a gradual reduction of control as individual, social, and structurally led processes emerge, conceptualized as the ‘control model’ of social media engagement. The findings highlight a controlling aspect in engagement and a dynamic interplay between the processes as mutually determining the quality and the intensity of the interaction. Recommendations are provided for examining control as a main emotional, cognitive, and behavioral mechanism in problematic and/or addictive social media and smartphone use.


2019 ◽  
Vol 48 ◽  
pp. 96-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virda Setyani ◽  
Yu-Qian Zhu ◽  
Achmad Nizar Hidayanto ◽  
Puspa Indahati Sandhyaduhita ◽  
Bo Hsiao

Author(s):  
Е.А. Михеев ◽  
Т.А. Нестик

В статье рассматривается проблема психологических механизмов, влияющих на распространение «фейковых» новостей и дезинформирование в цифровой среде в период пандемии COVID-19. На основании результатов отечественных и зарубежных исследований анализируются манипулятивные технологии, связанные с использованием дезинформационных стратегий. Обращается внимание на эффекты рамки и гемофильности, методы дискредитации, создание конспирологических теорий, троллинг, поляризацию интернет-сообществ, подражание, а также повышение эмоциональности сообщений. Обсуждаются личностные характеристики пользователей, связанные со склонностью к распространению ложной информации в социальных сетях, в том числе фейковых данных конспирологической и политической направленности. Приводятся результаты эмпирического исследования (N=287), в котором выявлена связь отношения личности к дезинформации о COVID-19 в социальных сетях с просоциальными установками, самоэффективностью и уровнем социального доверия. Показано, что уровень стресса и фаталистические установки в отношении исхода пандемии снижают способность пользователей социальных сетей распознавать ложные сообщения о COVID-19. Установлено, что игнорирование дезинформации в социальных сетях как социальной проблемы связано с низкими социальным доверием и выраженностью тревоги по поводу пандемии и ее последствий. Предпосылками готовности личности к действиям для защиты себя и общества от дезинформации являются доверие к другим социальным группам, а также интерес к новостям о пандемии и готовность оказывать помощь заболевшим. Признание необходимости государственных мер по защите общества от дезинформации, а также готовность к отказу от свободы общения в социальных сетях связаны не только с просоциальными установками, но и с конспирологической ориентацией личности и низким доверием к людям. Misinformation in the digital environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the results of domestic and foreign studies, manipulative technologies associated with the use of disinformation strategies are analyzed. Attention is drawn to the effects of the frame and hemophilicity, methods of discrediting, creating conspiracy theories, trolling, polarizing Internet communities, imitation, as well as increasing the emotionality of messages. The personal characteristics of users associated with the propensity to spread false information in social networks, including fake information of a conspiracy and political orientation, are indicated. The results of an empirical study of predictors of the individual's attitude to misinformation about COVID-19 (N=287) are presented. The relationship of the individual's attitude to disinformation in social networks with prosocial attitudes, self-efficacy and the level of social trust is revealed. Stress levels and fatalistic attitudes about the outcome of the pandemic have been shown to reduce the ability of social media users to recognize false reports about COVID-19. It was found that ignoring disinformation in social networks as a social problem is associated with low social trust and the severity of anxiety about the pandemic and its consequences. Trust in other social groups, as well as an interest in news about the pandemic and a willingness to help the sick, are prerequisites for the individual's readiness to act for protection themselves and society from misinformation. The recognition of the need for state measures to protect society from disinformation, as well as the willingness to abandon the freedom of communication in social networks, are associated not only with prosocial attitudes, but also with the conspiracy orientation of the individual and low trust in people.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 431-459
Author(s):  
Ernest Emeka Izogo ◽  
Mercy Mpinganjira

Purpose Although previous research emphasized the importance of inspiration in influencing consumer behavior, there is no categorical response to how social-media inspirational content inspires consumers across cultures. This paper aims to take on this agenda through a vignette experimental study. Design/methodology/approach This paper devised a vignette study involving subjects (n = 370) recruited from Nigeria and South Africa. The structural equation modeling procedure, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression analysis aided the examination of the scale psychometrics and hypotheses testing. Findings Among other findings, this study shows that: inspirational content (utilitarian vs hedonic) exerts a positive differential effect on customer inspiration (CI) such that the effect of hedonic content is more pronounced than utilitarian content; collectivistic consumers are inspired more than individualists; CI triggers customer engagement behaviors (CEBs) and purchase intention, and an inspired-to component of CI mediates the effect of inspired-by on CEBs and purchase intention. Research limitations/implications While this study makes significant contributions to knowledge on CI, the focus on firm-generated content limits the scope of this study. Future research should examine the effect of consumer-generated content on CI. Additionally, the likely contextual influence of product type on CI and its triggers in the context of the foote, cone and belding grid creates the room to further interrogate the research model under conditions of high/low involvement products. Originality/value By showing how social-media inspirational content and cultural orientation separately influence and interact to influence CI which consequently triggers CEBs and purchase intention, the findings highlight the psychological mechanisms through which CEBs and purchase intention can be simultaneously triggered.


2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 102-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ozan Kuru ◽  
Joseph Bayer ◽  
Josh Pasek ◽  
Scott W. Campbell

Although social media are increasingly used through mobile devices, the differences between mobile and computer-based practices remain unclear. This study attempts to tease out some of these differences through multiple analytical strategies and samples. Drawing on theoretical expectations about the affordances, motivations, and cognition of mobile use, we investigate who uses mobile Facebook, why they use it, and how they use it. To do this, we first compare those who use Facebook only on a PC with those who also use the service on mobile devices. Then, in order to quantify mobile Facebook use, we propose a new set of survey measures to tap into more and less mobile users among the sample of people who access Facebook through multiple modes. These questions serve to validate measures of mobile Facebook use, and allow us to examine how patterns of use relate to user motivations and experiences. Findings revealed important differences between PC-only and mobile users as well as a distinct and reliable measure of mobileness. Whereas motivations for Facebook use did not differ across users, more habitual and absorbing use of Facebook was strongly, positively associated with mobile practices. These findings illustrate that people use mobile Facebook in more automatic and immersive ways that are independent of overall frequency of use or motivations. Implications for the psychological mechanisms involved in mobile communication, as well as survey measurement of social media use, are discussed.


2021 ◽  
pp. 146144482110405
Author(s):  
Ian Hawkins ◽  
Muniba Saleem

There are worldwide concerns about the rise of White nationalism and its implications for intergroup relations in multicultural societies. Social media, in particular, has allowed far-right groups to easily share their perspectives with and influence others in support of their ideologies. Yet, few studies have empirically examined what psychological factors are discussed within this content to motivate collective action. A quantitative content analysis of 100 White nationalist videos on YouTube reveals that social outgroups (Muslims, immigrants, feminists) are frequently discussed as threats to Whites’ status. Not only were calls for collective action discussed in at least 12% of videos, themes surrounding White identity and injustice faced by Whites were often underlying these calls, consistent with the theoretical propositions of the Social Identity Model of Collective Action. These results are novel as they identify psychological mechanisms referenced in White nationalist social media that motivate collective actions among White Americans.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yung-Cheng Shen ◽  
Crystal T. Lee ◽  
Ling-Yen Pan ◽  
Chung-Yuan Lee

PurposeDealing with online rumors or fake information on social media is growing in importance. Most academic research on online rumors has approached the issue from a quantitative modeling perspective. Less attention has been paid to the psychological mechanisms accounting for online rumor transmission behavior on the individual level. Drawing from the theory of stimulus–organism–response, this study aims to explore the nature of online rumors and investigate how the informational characteristics of online rumors are processed through the mediation of psychological variables to promote online rumor forwarding.Design/methodology/approachAn experimental approach to this issue was taken; the researchers investigated how the informational characteristics of online rumors and the psychological mediators promote online rumor transmission.FindingsFour information characteristics (sense-making, funniness, dreadfulness and personal relevance) and three psychological motivators (fact-finding, relationship enhancement and self-enhancement) promote online rumor-forwarding behavior.Originality/valueBecause any online rumor transmitted on social media can go viral, companies may eventually encounter social media-driven crises. Thus, understanding what drives rumor-forwarding behavior can help marketers mitigate and counter online rumors.


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