The effects of negative information-related incidents on social media discontinuance intention: Evidence from SEM and fsQCA

Exploring how health-related advertising interference contributes to the development of cyberchondria: A stressor-strain-outcome approach

Objectives

Cyberchondria is increasingly recognized as the dark side of digital health, given the pervasive use of the internet as a main source of health information in people's daily lives. While previous studies have identified many factors contributing to cyberchondria, there is a dearth of research on the impact of health-related advertisements. Therefore, this study adopts the stressor-strain-outcome (SSO) model to investigate how health-related advertising interference is directly and indirectly related to cyberchondria.

Methods

To empirically validate the proposed research model, we conducted an online survey with 437 internet users with medical information seeking experience in China. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the survey data.

Results

Our findings revealed a positive, direct association between health-related advertising interference and cyberchondria. Meanwhile, advertising interference was positively related to both information overload and information irrelevance, with the former further predicting cyberchondria. Moreover, doctor-patient communication weakened the positive effect of information overload on cyberchondria.

Conclusions

The study not only theoretically contributes to the literature by theorizing the relationship between health-related advertising interference and cyberchondria but also practically underlines the pivotal role of effective doctor-patient communication in reducing the development of cyberchondria.

Configurational patterns for COVID-19 related social media rumor refutation effectiveness enhancement based on machine learning and fsQCA

Infodemics are intertwined with the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting people's perception and social order. To curb the spread of COVID-19 related false rumors, fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) is used to find configurational pathways to enhance rumor refutation effectiveness. In this paper, a total of 1,903 COVID-19 related false rumor refutation microblogs on Sina Weibo are collected by a web crawler from January 1, 2022 to April 20, 2022, and 10 main conditions affecting rumor refutation effectiveness index (REI) are identified based on "three rules of epidemics". To reduce data redundancy, five ensemble machine learning models are established and tuned, among which Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LGBM) regression model has the best performance. Then five core conditions are extracted by feature importance ranking of LGBM. Based on fsQCA with the five core conditions, REI enhancement can be achieved through three different pathway elements configurations solutions: "Highly influential microblogger * high followers' stickiness microblogger", "high followers' stickiness microblogger * highly active microblogger * concise information description" and "high followers' stickiness microblogger * the sentiment tendency of the topic * concise information description". Finally, decision-making suggestions for false rumor refutation platforms and new ideas for improving false rumor refutation effectiveness are proposed. The innovation of this paper reflects in exploring the REI enhancement strategy from the perspective of configuration for the first time.

When WhatsApp changed its privacy policy: explaining WhatsApp discontinuation using an enablers-inhibitors' perspective

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the factors that enable and inhibit WhatsApp users' discontinuance intention (DI) following the change in WhatsApp's privacy policy.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the enabler-inhibitor model as a framework, a research model consisting of discontinuation enabler distrust (DT) and the DT's antecedents [(negative electronic word of mouth (NEWOM), negative offline word of mouth (NOWOM) and privacy invasion (PI)], discontinuation inhibitor inertia (INR) and INR's antecedents (affective commitment, switching cost and use habit) and moderator structural assurance was proposed and tested with data from 624 WhatsApp users using partial least square structure equational modeling (PLS-SEM).

Findings

The results show that DT created due to NEWOM and a sense of PI significantly impact DI. However, INR has no significant impact on DI. Structural assurance significantly moderates the relationship between DT and DI.

Originality/value

The paper collected data when many WhatsApp users switched to other platforms due to the change in WhatsApp's terms of service. The timing of data collection allowed for collecting the real impact of the sense of PI compared to other studies where the effect is hypothetically induced. Further, the authors acknowledge social media providers' efforts to address privacy criticism and regain users’ trust, an area that has received little attention in prior literature.

Perceived Information Overload and Intention to Discontinue Use of Short-Form Video: The Mediating Roles of Cognitive and Psychological Factors

The current study investigated the effects of Chinese young adult users' perceived information overload (i.e., the daily perception of exposure to excessive information) on their intention to stop using short-form video applications. Specifically, this study accomplished this by measuring the direct and indirect effects of social media fatigue, maladaptive coping, and life dissatisfaction in relation to users' intention to discontinue their use of short-form video applications. The data were collected using a web-based survey and validated questionnaire, with a sample of 340 young adult (18-26 years old) respondents. The results indicated that perceived information overload had a direct effect on the intention to discontinue the use of short-form video applications. Moreover, short-form video fatigue, maladaptive coping, and life dissatisfaction all played mediating roles in the relationship between perceived information overload and the intention to discontinue the use of short-form video applications among young adults in China.

Unpacking Detrimental Effects of Network Externalities on Privacy Invasion, Communication Overload and Mobile App Discontinued Intentions: A Cognition-Affect-Conation Perspective

Recently, mobile apps are rapidly emerging as an important information instrument, with the potential to boost convenience and efficiency in everyday life. The adoption of mobile apps can exert a positive influence on individuals, but also lead to adverse perceptions in different ways. The crucial issue arising is what motivates people's discontinued use of such services. Furthermore, the roles of communication overload and privacy invasion between network externalities and discontinued use intentions have not been thoroughly examined. The primary objective of this article is to investigate if negative network externalities may result in privacy invasion, communication overload and discontinued intentions, and how the underlying mechanism operates. This current research collected and evaluated data from 696 mobile app users utilizing the structural equation model (SEM) technique. The findings demonstrate that perceived critical mass and perceived complementarity positively affect the privacy invasion of mobile app users. Particularly, it was discovered that privacy invasion and communication overload mediate the association between network externalities and mobile app discontinued use intentions. This article may not only enrich the ongoing contemporary critical discussion on new information technology usage, but also offer significant theoretical and practical implications for mobile app researchers and practitioners.

How Differential Dimensions of Social Media Overload Influences Young People's Fatigue and Negative Coping during Prolonged COVID-19 Pandemic? Insights from a Technostress Perspective

Although social networking sites have emerged as the primary source of information for young people, there is a dearth of knowledge concerning the underlying associations between differential aspects of social media overload and whether social media overload ultimately influenced people's negative coping strategies during the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. In order to fill this gap in existing knowledge, the current research employed the stressor-strain-outcome (SSO) theoretical paradigm to explicate social media fatigue and negative coping strategies from a technostress perspective. The study used cross-sectional methodology, whereby 618 valid questionnaire responses were gathered from WeChat users to assess the conceptual model. The obtained outcomes demonstrated that information overload and communication overload positively impacted young people's fatigue. Furthermore, these two patterns of perceived overload heighten social media fatigue, which ultimately leads to young people's negative coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings would extend the present social media fatigue and technical stress literature by identifying the value of the SSO theoretical approach in interpreting young people's negative coping phenomena in the post-pandemic time.

An Empirical Investigation of Virtual Networking Sites Discontinuance Intention: Stimuli Organism Response-Based Implication of User Negative Disconfirmation

The study’s prime objective is to investigate the user discontinuance intention in the shed of the negative disconfirmation of user expectation. The study has derived the theoretical structure from the expectancy disconfirmation theory (EDT) enacted through the stimuli organism response (SOR) framework to study the actual cause and effect relationship of human behavioral response. To investigate the user discontinuance intention behavioral response, a total of 434 correct and complete answers were shortlisted for analysis. To examine the data set, the study has used the modern partial least square method technique or simply SmartPLS service package to run the structural equation modeling (SEM). Moreover, the study has implied the 80/20 rule run the mediating analysis of the SOR framework. The statistical results show that all three stimuli make significant positive disconfirmation of the user beliefs in terms of dissatisfaction and the anxiety that ultimately leads to the discontinuance intention in virtual network users. Further, these results are validated through the six mediating relationships, which partially mediate the relationship between the stimuli and response. Besides all these findings, this study has made some practical and realistic theoretical and practical implications for both researchers and service-providing managers.

Does Health Consciousness Matter to Adopt New Technology? An Integrated Model of UTAUT2 With SEM-fsQCA Approach

Every emerging technology has its pros and cons; health-conscious users pay more importance to healthy and environment-friendly technologies. Based on the UTAUT2 model, we proposed a comprehensive novel model to study the factors influencing consumers' decision-making to adopt the technology. Compared to prior studies that focused on linear models to investigate consumers' technology adoption intentions and use behavior. This study used a Structural Equation Modeling-fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (SEM-fsQCA) approach to account for the complexity of customers' decision-making processes in adopting new technology. We collected valid responses from 830 consumers, analyzed them, and evaluated them using a deep learning SEM-fsQCA technique to capture symmetric and asymmetric relations between variables. We have extensively incorporated a health-consciousness attitude as a predictor and mediator to understand better the decision-making toward technology adoption, specifically 5G technology. All the factors tested in our model are statistically significant except the economic factors. Health-consciousness attitude (HCA) and behavioral intention (BI) found significant predictors and valid mediators in the process of 5G technology adoption. FsQCA provided six configurations to achieve high 5G adoption. The findings have significant practical ramifications for telecom corporations, advertisers, government officials, and key policymakers. Additionally, the study added substantial theoretical literature to technology adoption, particularly the adoption of 5G technology.

The Effects Of Governmental Factors On Sustainable Technology Implementation Among Small And Medium Enterprises In Tonga

This study intends to examine the effects of governmental factors on sustainable technology implementation (STI) among SMEs in the Kingdom of Tonga. These factors are crucial to investigate because many private institutions working for emerging markets have limited resources that delay implementing technologies, particularly sustainability-based technologies integrated with enterprise management. On the other hand, governments have the resources and power to affect STI significantly. Hence, the research investigates the role of government as an influential determinant in attaining efficient and effective implementation. This study uses the SEM-PLS and fsQCA methods to analyze the data gathered from 251 SMEs in Tonga. The findings show that government subsidies and policies significantly and positively affect firms' morals and attitudes regarding STI in Tonga. Also, perceived benefit and perceived cost significantly affect STI in Tongan SMEs. The research is an initial effort to examine such effects in the SMEs of a Pacific Island country.

Understanding Consumers’ Purchase Intentions in Social Commerce through Social Capital: Evidence from SEM and fsQCA

Social commerce has become a fiercely competitive environment. Understanding consumers’ purchase intentions can help social commerce platforms retain and attract more consumers. Social capital is one of the primary resources that plays a critical role in facilitating consumers’ purchase intentions in social commerce. Here, complex relationships between different dimensions of social capital are further clarified and its impact on consumers’ purchase intentions are discussed. Based on a survey of 302 social commerce users, this study utilizes an SEM and fsQCA approach to validate the effect of social capital on consumers’ purchase intentions. The SEM results reveal that the effect of structural social capital on consumers’ purchase intentions is fully mediated by relational and cognitive social capital. The fsQCA results confirm the significance of consumers’ social capital as determinants and provide the configurations that can lead to high purchase intentions. Though previous studies have discussed the factors influencing consumers’ purchase intentions, this study takes the first step toward enhancing the understanding of the configurations that link dimensions of social capital to consumers’ purchase intentions in s-commerce using fsQCA approach.