scholarly journals Sharing of Verified Information about COVID-19 on Social Network Sites: A Social Exchange Theory Perspective

Author(s):  
Jiabei Xia ◽  
Tailai Wu ◽  
Liqin Zhou

Background: Verified and authentic information about coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on social networking sites (SNS) could help people make appropriate decisions to protect themselves. However, little is known about what factors influence people’s sharing of verified information about COVID-19. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the factors that influence people’s sharing of verified information about COVID-19 on social networking sites. Methods: Based on social exchange theory, we explore the factors that influence sharing of verified information about COVID-19 from two perspectives: benefits and costs. We employed the survey method to validate our hypothesized relationships. By using our developed measurement instruments, we collected 347 valid responses from SNS users and utilized the partial least squares method to analyze the data. Results: Among the benefits of sharing verified information about COVID-19, enjoyment in helping (β = 0.357, p = 0.000), altruism (β = 0.133, p = 0.029) and reputation (β = 0.202, p = 0.000) were significantly associated with verified information sharing about COVID-19. Regarding the costs of sharing verified information about COVID-19, both verification cost (β = −0.078, p = 0.046) and executional cost (β = −0.126, p = 0.011) also significantly affect verified information sharing about COVID-19. All the proposed hypotheses were supported. Conclusions: By exploring factors from both benefits and costs perspectives, we could understand users’ intention to share verified information about COVID-19 comprehensively. This study not only contributes to the literature on information sharing, but also has implications concerning users’ behaviors on SNS.

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.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nusrat Jahan ◽  
Seung Woon Kim

Purpose Online communities (OCs) are the popular social environments in which people interact by sharing resources such as information, advice and thoughts on their mutual interests. Existing research lacks an explanation of the reasons of participation behavior in OCs and how such participation behavior provides members with perceived benefits. This study aims to observe how social exchange theory constructs (perceived members’ support and exchange ideology) affect online community participation behavior (OCPB), and moderated by exchange ideology (EI) and perceived ties, which in turn brings perceived benefits to its participants. Design/methodology/approach A survey method was followed to collect data, and structural equation modeling is used with 305 valid samples. Findings The results highlight the significant effects of perceived members’ support on OCPB. Participation behavior in OCs has critical effect on perceived benefits. The results also identify the moderating effects of EI and perceived tie, where perceived tie was insignificant. Originality/value The findings from this study bridge the literature gaps in the context of OCPB by demonstrating how practitioners and OC managers can enhance perceived members’ support, which result in OCPB, and thus provide the OC users with several perceived benefits.


2021 ◽  
Vol 136 ◽  
pp. 76-85
Author(s):  
Sigitas Urbonavicius ◽  
Mindaugas Degutis ◽  
Ignas Zimaitis ◽  
Vaida Kaduskeviciute ◽  
Vatroslav Skare

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 499-513
Author(s):  
Yan Wang ◽  
Inge Derom ◽  
Marc Theeboom

Significant financial investments in organizing sport mega-events (SME) and training SME volunteers are frequently justified on the basis that local organizations can benefit from a larger pool of experienced volunteers following the event. By employing social exchange theory as a theoretical framework, this study explores the connection between the SME volunteer experience and subsequent volunteer behavior as a potential return on investment. In-depth interviews have been conducted with 15 Chinese volunteers who participated in the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games. Qualitative data offers a rich, contextualized view to understand the long-lasting impact of previous SME volunteer experiences, including not only the perceptions in terms of benefits and costs but also its influence on subsequent volunteering elsewhere in the postevent period. We identified that volunteers continue to garner benefits from their SME experience, even 8 years after the event, and mainly in the forms of social, career-related, training, Olympic-related, psychological, and extrinsic benefits. The costs perceived from the SME appear to fade away because the direct costs were covered, and the opportunity costs were low for student volunteers. The theoretical explanations of (future) volunteer behavior provided mixed evidence in the scope of three social exchange theory propositions (i.e., rationality, deprivation–satiation, and approval–aggression proposition). Findings provide valuable insights to inform organizers of SME and other activities to pay more attention to the volunteer experience and to optimize volunteer benefits and costs. Additional improvements in volunteer recruitment are important for Beijing, in preparation of hosting the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Khurram Sharif ◽  
Nauman Farooqi ◽  
Norizan Kassim ◽  
Mohamed Zain

Purpose This study aims to focus on how informal value transfer networks, Hawala business in particular, used social exchanges in their business dealings. More specifically, the conducted research looked into how social exchange theory was used in Hawala business relationship initiation and management. Design/methodology/approach Twenty-one depth interviews were conducted with Hawala Network members, and Hawala customers, in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The collected qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis and NVivo 11 software. Findings The study outcome indicated that Social Exchange Theory was a principal relationship driver in Hawala Networks. Especially, trust had a pivotal role in evolvement and nurturing of Hawala Network business and social exchanges. Other relationship variables, namely, reciprocity, religious affiliation, reputation and information sharing had a significant part in relationship building as well. Results supported a prominent influence of time in carefully controlled and rigorously assessed transformation of Hawala relationships. This metamorphosis converted an exchange from short-term into a long-term orientation where limited amount transactions changed into large sum transactions and restricted information exchange moved to elaborate information sharing. In addition, findings revealed that monetary and non-monetary interactions between Hawala Network members took the form of a homogeneous club, with shared social, cultural, religious and ethnic values. In particular, financially constrained and illiterate social groups preferred Hawala services due to ease of servicing in the form of minimal bureaucracy, fast transfers and low service charges. These marginalized fractions of society had limited access to formal banking which made Hawala business their main (and in most cases only) source for sending and receiving financial remittances. Hawala Networks provided an effective alternative to formal banking for disadvantaged communities. Originality/value This study provided unique and useful insights into the nature of social exchanges within Hawala Networks. Especially, it provided clarification on how informal networked businesses used Social Exchange Theory to by-pass the need for legal protection and formal contracts. Furthermore, the study highlighted the role Hawala business played in providing essential banking services (e.g. transfer of money and micro-lending) to educationally and economically deprived individuals.


2021 ◽  
pp. 104346312110351
Author(s):  
Nicolás M Somma

Using social exchange theory, this article presents a new theory for understanding the strategic choices made by social movement leaders—the “movement exchanges” theory. It looks at how leaders engage in exchanges of valued rewards with constituencies, institutional political players, bystander publics, and voluntary organizations. Leaders receive from these players important rewards (like committed activists, political leverage, and resources) for achieving movement goals. In turn, leaders make strategic choices (expressed in frames, tactics, targets, and claims) that other players find rewarding, favoring persistent exchanges across time. By considering movements’ simultaneous exchanges with several players, the theory makes sense of choices that remain puzzling for major movement theories. It also blends strategic behavior with culture (in the form of utopias, ideology, and emotions) but does not require the maximizing assumption of the homo economicus. I use the case of the contemporary Chilean student movement to illustrate the theory.


2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guowei Jian ◽  
Francis Dalisay

Although research has made significant gains in understanding the constitutive nature of conversation in the process of organizing, its predictive effects on organizational outcomes are still uncertain. To contribute in this direction, based on social exchange theory and leader-member exchange (LMX) research, this study examined the predictive effects of leader-member conversational quality (LMCQ) on employee organizational commitment (OC), and the potential interaction effects of LMCQ with LMX quality. Using data from an online survey, this study found that above and beyond communication frequency and other control variables, LMCQ is significantly associated with employee OC. More interestingly, the effects of LMCQ vary based on the level of LMX quality. These findings have significant implications at both theoretical and practical levels.


2015 ◽  
Vol 115 (6) ◽  
pp. 1041-1066 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Li ◽  
Gang Li ◽  
Taiwen Feng

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships among suppliers’ trust and commitment, transaction-specific investment, switching cost, and customer involvement within the context of relational governance mechanism and the social exchange theory. Design/methodology/approach – The authors use survey data from 214 Chinese manufacturing firms and employ the structural equation model to verify the conceptual model. Findings – Relational governance benefits customer involvement. Transaction-specific investment mediates the relationship between trust and commitment of suppliers. Switching costs negatively moderate the relationship between suppliers’ trust and customer involvement, but positively moderate the relationship between suppliers’ commitment and customer involvement. Research limitations/implications – The authors focus on two key elements of relationship, namely, trust and commitment of suppliers, but neglect other relational factors, such as relational norms and interdependence. Originality/value – These findings broaden the understanding and present new directions for the implementation of customer involvement from the perspective of relational governance and social exchange theory.


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