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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

University Students’ Perspectives Of Visual-Based Cyberbullying On Instagram, Li-Min Huang Dec 2022

University Students’ Perspectives Of Visual-Based Cyberbullying On Instagram, Li-Min Huang

Doctoral Dissertations

Researchers have been investigating the cyberbullying phenomenon since the early 21st century. There is a substantial body of cyberbullying studies focused on text-based formats. However, studies revealed that visual-based social media platforms are more powerful than text-based platforms in affecting people’s emotions, causing significant psychological impact. Young adults ages 18-29 use visual-based social media heavily in their daily lives; therefore, visual cyberbullying on various sites has become a critical issue for this generation. Yet, the majority of existing cyberbullying studies focused on age groups under 18. The studies that did investigate this phenomenon among young adults focused mainly on text-based …


Instagram Ideals: College Women's Body Image And Social Comparison, Paige K. Hill Dec 2022

Instagram Ideals: College Women's Body Image And Social Comparison, Paige K. Hill

Masters Theses

The present study unveils several themes that detail female college students’ experience, usage, and social comparison trends on Instagram, with a particular emphasis on body image. Compared to a study conducted by Meta Inc., which found that social comparison disproportionately affected young females (Social Comparison Exploratory Research, 2020), this study highlights insights directly expressed by young females in college concerning their past and current experiences on the platform. With over 90% of women in colleges across the United States reporting body and image dissatisfaction (Pritchard & Cramblitt, 2014), this study aims to contribute to existing literature, showcasing whether female students …


Two Sides To Every Story: Investigating Changes In Cultural Attitudes Using Discourse Analysis In Computer-Mediated Infidelity Discussions, Michaela J. Dipillo May 2022

Two Sides To Every Story: Investigating Changes In Cultural Attitudes Using Discourse Analysis In Computer-Mediated Infidelity Discussions, Michaela J. Dipillo

Masters Theses

Despite overt cultural consensus on the reprehensible nature of infidelity, prevalence rates of infidelity behavior remain elevated— highlighting a substantial discrepancy between widely-accepted infidelity practices and actual behavior. To understand this incongruence and elucidate the cultural meaning of infidelity, communication surrounding infidelity warrants extensive scrutiny. The study employs methods of discourse analysis to investigate three Reddit threads from 2017, 2019, and 2021, that address infidelity. I make a case that recent changes in the discourse surrounding infidelity reflect changes in broader societal attitudes and accepted practices concerning infidelity. Using empirical methods of discourse analysis, I conducted three analytical procedures to …


Examining Messaging Strategies Of Virtual Reality Companies On Instagram, Brian Galloway Aug 2021

Examining Messaging Strategies Of Virtual Reality Companies On Instagram, Brian Galloway

Masters Theses

This study examines the messaging strategy and executional strategy utilized in the virtual reality industry on Instagram through the lens of Taylor’s Six-Segment Message Strategy Wheel. Content analysis examined a total of n=942 posts which were coded for high level message strategy, specific message strategy, and executional strategy. Engagement data was also recorded. Ritual-view messaging strategies were found to be utilized most often, with Social and Sensory-segment strategies used most frequently in terms of segments in Taylor’s model. In terms of executional strategies, User Image, Brand Image, and Use Occasion strategies were seen most frequently. Ego and Social segment message …


In Our Very Blood: The Use Of Social Media In The 2018 West Virginia Teachers' Strike, Everette Scott Sikes May 2021

In Our Very Blood: The Use Of Social Media In The 2018 West Virginia Teachers' Strike, Everette Scott Sikes

Doctoral Dissertations

The 2018 West Virginia teachers’ strike exemplifies the changing shape of social movements and events of dissent and protest in the digital age. The use of information communication technologies (ICT) and social media have changed the ways such events develop and unfold. These technologies offer new tools for organizing and strategizing, for generating large numbers of participants, and for communicating crucial information while reducing temporal and spatial barriers. The teachers’ strike presents an opportunity to increase our understandings of these issues and to widen the scope of research in the field of information sciences to include the impact of ICTs …


Tweet Diffusion Over Space And Time: A Comparison Of A Winter-Weather And Tornado-Outbreak Case Study, Alyssa Margaret Cannistraci Dec 2020

Tweet Diffusion Over Space And Time: A Comparison Of A Winter-Weather And Tornado-Outbreak Case Study, Alyssa Margaret Cannistraci

Masters Theses

Social media allows people to receive, engage in, and share weather information. Users of the social media platform Twitter actively share weather content via tweets, which researchers can acquire through an Application Programming Interface (API). APIs return tweet content, as well as temporal and spatial characteristics (latitude and longitude coordinates). Tweets can then be mapped and studied spatiotemporally through Geographic Information System (GIS) software. For this work, I compared how tweets spread (“diffuse”) over space and time during two natural hazard events in the United States. The first case study is a winter weather event that The Weather Channel named …


Fyre Festival: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly And Its Impact On Influencer Marketing, Loren Grace Gilbert, Courtney Childers, Brandon Boatwright May 2020

Fyre Festival: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly And Its Impact On Influencer Marketing, Loren Grace Gilbert, Courtney Childers, Brandon Boatwright

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.


Changes In Scholarly Reading In Finland Over A Decade: Influences Of E-Journals And Social Media, Elina Late, Carol Tenopir, Sanna Talja, Lisa Christian Sep 2019

Changes In Scholarly Reading In Finland Over A Decade: Influences Of E-Journals And Social Media, Elina Late, Carol Tenopir, Sanna Talja, Lisa Christian

School of Information Sciences -- Faculty Publications and Other Works

Nationwide surveys of researchers in Finland in 2007 and 2016 distributed with the assistance of FinELib, the Finnish national consortium, show that researchers use a growing range of sources to find and access scholarly articles and that some reading patterns are changing. The percentage of articles found by searching and browsing are decreasing, while researchers are using more social ways to locate articles. Research social networking sites are rated as important to their work. They read more onscreen, although still print some material out for final reading. Reading patterns for books are different, as researchers still rely more on printed …


When Social Media Takes Your Money: In-App Shopping And Buyer’S Remorse Study, Catie Jaffe May 2019

When Social Media Takes Your Money: In-App Shopping And Buyer’S Remorse Study, Catie Jaffe

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.


The Search For Mollie Tibbetts: How Social Media Functions In Missing Persons Cases, Alexandra R. House May 2019

The Search For Mollie Tibbetts: How Social Media Functions In Missing Persons Cases, Alexandra R. House

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.


Suomalaisten Tutkijoiden Sosiaalisen Median Käyttö: Sosiaalisen Median Merkitys Työssä, Tiedonhankinnassa Ja Tieteellisen Tiedon Jakamisessa., Elina Late, Sanna Kumpulainen, Sanna Talja, Lisa Christian, Carol Tenopir Dec 2018

Suomalaisten Tutkijoiden Sosiaalisen Median Käyttö: Sosiaalisen Median Merkitys Työssä, Tiedonhankinnassa Ja Tieteellisen Tiedon Jakamisessa., Elina Late, Sanna Kumpulainen, Sanna Talja, Lisa Christian, Carol Tenopir

School of Information Sciences -- Faculty Publications and Other Works

The use of social media in scholarly communication has grown in recent years, and consequently, scholars’ uses of social media has gained importance as a research topic.The aim of this article is to shed light on the role of social media in scholars’ work. The research presents findings from a survey (N=528) conducted in Finland in late 2016. There exists no prior research on the role and uses social media among Finnish scholars. This research specifically focuses on the perceived role of social media in information seeking and sharing. We also study the differences between disciplines, age groups, and positions. …


Tweeting Tennessee's Collections: Where Bots & Special Collections Meet, Meredith L. Hale Jun 2018

Tweeting Tennessee's Collections: Where Bots & Special Collections Meet, Meredith L. Hale

UT Libraries Faculty: Other Publications and Presentations

This project demonstrates how a Twitterbot can be used as an inclusive outreach initiative that breaks down the barriers between the Web and the reading room to share materials like postcards, music manuscripts, photographs, and cartoons with the public. Once in place, Twitterbots allow our physical materials to converge with the technical and social space of the Web. Twitterbots are ideal for busy professionals because they allow librarians to make meaningful impressions on users without requiring a large time investment. This poster covers my recent implementation of a digital collections bot (@UTKDigCollBot) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and provides …


Social Media Addiction And Its Implications For Communication, Courtney Nicole Wainner May 2018

Social Media Addiction And Its Implications For Communication, Courtney Nicole Wainner

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.


The On-Screen Water Cooler: Effects Of Televised User-Generated Comments On Cognitive Processing, Social Presence, And Viewing Experience., Jaclyn Ann Cameron Aug 2016

The On-Screen Water Cooler: Effects Of Televised User-Generated Comments On Cognitive Processing, Social Presence, And Viewing Experience., Jaclyn Ann Cameron

Doctoral Dissertations

Social television combines traditional television viewing and interactions with social media to create a phenomenon that connects otherwise autonomous viewers through a shared viewing experience. This dissertation explores one type of social television: on-screen user-generated comments. Although the practice spans multiple television genres, little is known about its effect on viewers’ cognitive processing of the media, perceptions of the social presence of other viewers, or the viewers’ experience of the media. Two experimental studies explored the effects of on-screen user-generated comments on cognitive processing of the media message, the effect of manipulating the content of on-screen user-generated comments and individual …


#Sponsored: The Emergence Of Influencer Marketing, Steven Woods May 2016

#Sponsored: The Emergence Of Influencer Marketing, Steven Woods

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.


Cell Phone Ethnography: Mixed Methods And The Brand Consumer Relationship, Robert Nathaniel Dove May 2016

Cell Phone Ethnography: Mixed Methods And The Brand Consumer Relationship, Robert Nathaniel Dove

Masters Theses

Overall, the goal of this study is to identify and differentiate the various motivations and cultural influences that can be used to explain consumer behavior. In doing so, this study hopes to facilitate the development of new and innovative marketing strategies, providing a new research design for the ethnographer’s toolkit. More importantly, this model can give shape to new constructs and new variables for further empirical testing in the field through quantitative and qualitative methods. By blending the two approaches, using qualitative interpretive anthropological analysis by field study with quantitative sentiment analysis adapted from market researcher Jeffery Breen’s (2012) methodology, …


Social Media And Outbound Ticket Sales: Examining Social Media Strategies Among Top-Performing Salespeople, Clint Warren Jan 2016

Social Media And Outbound Ticket Sales: Examining Social Media Strategies Among Top-Performing Salespeople, Clint Warren

Journal of Applied Sport Management

This paper examines current implementation of social media strategies by ticket salespeople. A sample of 126 ticket sales professionals across professional, collegiate, and minor league sport responded to a survey measuring social media usage rates across a variety of platforms, social media use throughout the sales process, and sales performance. Results indicate that overall ticket salespeople are not incorporating social media into their regular sales initiatives. However, top-performing sales professionals do tend to use social media more regularly than baseline ticket sales representatives when approaching and discovering the needs of their customers. Given the rise of social media as a …


Beyond Downloads: Digital Usage Of Scholarly Articles Survey Instrument, Carol Tenopir, Suzie Allard, Lisa Christian Jan 2015

Beyond Downloads: Digital Usage Of Scholarly Articles Survey Instrument, Carol Tenopir, Suzie Allard, Lisa Christian

School of Information Sciences -- Faculty Publications and Other Works

An international survey of academics and scholars from 69 countries (n=1000) asked respondents a series of questions based on their download, saving, and sharing of scholarly articles.


Integrating Social Media In The Development Of A Special Event Population Dynamics Model, Kelly Michelle Sims Dec 2014

Integrating Social Media In The Development Of A Special Event Population Dynamics Model, Kelly Michelle Sims

Masters Theses

With society’s increasing participation in social media, scientists now have access to new sources of data that reflect our daily activities in space and in time. Such data are plentiful and, more notably, at an unprecedented granular level. The ability for users to capture and express their geolocation through their phones’ global positioning system (GPS) or through a particular location’s hashtag or Facebook Page provides a great opportunity for modeling spatiotemporal population dynamics. High resolution population models and databases for episodic special events can be extremely useful for enhancing emergency management and response. This research assesses the feasibility of improving …


Consumer Perceptions Of A Brand's Social Media Marketing, Taylor Michelle Smith Dec 2014

Consumer Perceptions Of A Brand's Social Media Marketing, Taylor Michelle Smith

Masters Theses

This project seeks to inform corporate marketing efforts, as well as add to the growing body of literature on social media marketing. The purpose of this project is to assess consumer perceptions of a brand’s social media marketing. Participants were obtained from the PetSafe® brand Facebook fan page, and a total of 195 respondents completed all measures and were included in the study. The results show that brands must be actively engaging their consumers via social media in order to compete in a competitive marketplace. Engagement can be promoted through entertaining and interactive posts, useful and relevant content, word of …


Diffusion Of Social Media Among County 4-H Programs In Tennessee, Rebekah Bowen May 2012

Diffusion Of Social Media Among County 4-H Programs In Tennessee, Rebekah Bowen

Masters Theses

Over the past decade, Cooperative Extension and 4-H professionals have been faced with the decision of whether they should adopt new communication technologies such as social media to interact with their rapidly growing audience. Current research on social media and Extension shows that there are some identified risks and barriers (Fuess & Humphreys, 2011; Seger, 2011); however, many Extension professionals believe that social media usage could be very beneficial for Extension and\or 4-H usage (Coates, 2004; Rhoades, Thomas & Davis, 2009; Kinsey, 2010). In order to increase the body of empirical research on this subject, a quantitative study was conducted …


Intention To Comply With Food Safety Messages In A Crisis As A Function Of Message Source And Message Reliability, Karen June Freberg May 2011

Intention To Comply With Food Safety Messages In A Crisis As A Function Of Message Source And Message Reliability, Karen June Freberg

Doctoral Dissertations

A key role of public relations is to manage crises, unexpected yet unpredictable events that cause emotional and physical harm (Coombs, 2007). Among the challenges in handling a crisis effectively is dealing with the various media in which information is presented. Because the use of social media in a crisis is a relatively new phenomenon, further understanding of the challenges and opportunities of these media is warranted. Part of meeting this challenge requires precise modeling of consumer responses to safety messages. To remedy gaps in our understanding of social media and food safety crisis communications, consumer intent to comply with …


Social Media And Political Campaigns, Kristian Nicole Smith May 2011

Social Media And Political Campaigns, Kristian Nicole Smith

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.


Political Communication In A Digital Age: 2011 Tea Party Senators And Social Media, Kaitlyn M. Barrett May 2011

Political Communication In A Digital Age: 2011 Tea Party Senators And Social Media, Kaitlyn M. Barrett

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.


Geospatial Data Accessibility In Web 2.0 Environments, Sara Helen Mcnamee May 2011

Geospatial Data Accessibility In Web 2.0 Environments, Sara Helen Mcnamee

Masters Theses

Geographically referenced data is becoming a robust source of information because the use of place-based relevance searching is being employed as a popular form of information access and dispersal. To address this trend, the researcher conducted a study on the usability of the USA National Phenology Network (http://www.usanpn.org/), engaging 6 volunteer participants structured usability test of the USANPN mapping application. The participants were asked to complete two tasks, and data was collected both during (in the form of a think aloud exercise) and after the test (in the form of an exit interview). From the data collected, the researcher aimed …


Social Media As A Tool For Tennessee Municipalities, Bonnie Jones, Josh Jones Dec 2010

Social Media As A Tool For Tennessee Municipalities, Bonnie Jones, Josh Jones

MTAS Publications: Full Publications

This publication will provide your city with information relative to social media for purposes of communicating with employees, interacting with your community, and using social media as a hiring tool. Includes sample social media policy.


New Order, New Thinking., Carol Tenopir May 2008

New Order, New Thinking., Carol Tenopir

School of Information Sciences -- Faculty Publications and Other Works

Digital users identify the ideas that they think are important. Because we cannot tell what will be interesting in the future, he advised the audience to include everything and let users "slice through it all." [...]he said, it "costs more to exclude than to include." Today's users feel they have a right to participate, including adding tags and notes to historical photo collections and comments and book reviews in the library catalog, providing user-generated photos or captions/descriptions to digital libraries, and employing the multiple style templates available to users to customize the look of library database interfaces (also known as …


Web 2.0: Our Cultural Downfall?, Carol Tenopir Dec 2007

Web 2.0: Our Cultural Downfall?, Carol Tenopir

School of Information Sciences -- Faculty Publications and Other Works

Librarians, including American Library Association president Loriene Roy, are finding new ways to reach their constituents with social networking (see "Living the Virtual Library Life," LJ 10/1/07, p. 24). [...]after I heard Keen's keynote presentation at the recent International Association of STM Publishers in Frankfurt, Germany, and read his book on the long flight home, I recognized a kernel of truth in his arguments, which resonate with librarians' continued challenge to help users find accurate, reliable information. Keen might see this as one of the most pervasive dangers of social networking-the seductive power that leads even those professionals tasked with …


Living The Virtual Library Life., Carol Tenopir Oct 2007

Living The Virtual Library Life., Carol Tenopir

School of Information Sciences -- Faculty Publications and Other Works

Sites such as Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, and Second Life provide a personal, but virtual, library presence to link librarians and library patrons. Many think that Second Life, peopled by avatars and created by Linden Research Inc, could be a way for librarians to reach each other and maintain social connections, as well as serve continuing education.