An examination of the information disclosure behavior of infertility bloggers

Why do online reviewers seek anonymity? Empirical evidence on the effects of prior anonymous reviews and focal reviews

Purpose

Online reviewers' identity information is an essential cue by which consumers judge reviews on ecommerce platforms. However, few studies have explored how prior anonymous reviews and focal reviews affect reviewers' preference for anonymity. The purpose of this paper is to investigate why reviewers seek anonymity in terms of prior anonymous reviews and focal reviews.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on restaurant reviews collected from meituan.com, one of the largest group-buying ecommerce platforms in China, this study employed logistic regression to examine how prior anonymous reviews and focal reviews are associated with reviewers' preference for anonymity.

Findings

Results show that the volume and sequence of prior anonymous review are positively associated with the likelihood of reviewers' preference for anonymity, whereas focal review valence is negatively correlated with this preference. Focal review length is positively correlated with reviewers' preference for anonymity but negatively moderates the roles of review valence and prior anonymous reviews on this preference.

Originality/value

This study expands the information disclosure literature by exploring determinants of user identity disclosure from a reviewer perspective. This research also offers a methodological contribution by employing a more accurate measure to calculate reviewers' preference for anonymity, enhancing the empirical results. Lastly, this work supplements the online review literature on how prior anonymous reviews and focal reviews are associated with reviewers' identity disclosure.

Internet-Based Information Behavior After Pregnancy Loss: Interview Study

BACKGROUND

Information behavior describes all human behaviors in relation to information. Individuals experiencing disruption or stigma often use internet-based tools and spaces to meet their associated information needs. One such context is pregnancy loss, which, although impactful and common, has been absent from much of feminist and reproductive health and information behavior scholarship. By understanding information behavior after pregnancy loss and accounting for it in designing internet-based information spaces, we can take a meaningful step toward countering the stigma and silence that many who experience such loss endure, facilitate coping, and make space for diverse pregnancy narratives in our society.

OBJECTIVE

This study's objective is to provide a characterization of internet-based information behavior after pregnancy loss.

METHODS

We examined internet-based information behavior after pregnancy loss through 9 in-depth interviews with individuals residing in the United States. We analyzed the data by using open and axial coding.

RESULTS

We identified the following three themes in relation to participants' information behavior in internet-based spaces: needed information types, information-related concerns, and information outcomes. We drew from information behavior frameworks to interpret the processes and concerns described by participants as they moved from recognizing information needs to searching for information and to using information and experiencing outcomes. Specifically, we aligned these themes with information use concepts from the information behavior literature-information search, knowledge construction, information production, information application, and information effects. Participants' main concerns centered on being able to easily find information (ie, searchability), particularly on topics that had already been covered (ie, persistence), and, once found, being able to assess the information for its relevance, helpfulness, and credibility (ie, assessability). We suggest the following design implications that support health information behavior: assessability, persistence, and searchability.

CONCLUSIONS

We examined internet-based information behavior in the context of pregnancy loss, an important yet silenced reproductive health experience. Owing to the prevalence of information seeking during pregnancy, we advocate that generic pregnancy-related information spaces should address the needs related to pregnancy loss that we identified in addition to spaces dedicated to pregnancy loss. Such a shift could not only support those who use these spaces to manage pregnancies and then experience a loss but also help combat the silence and stigma associated with loss and the linear and normative narrative by which pregnancies are often represented.

Social media in the infertile community-using a text analysis tool to identify the topics of discussion on the multitude of infertility blogs

BACKGROUND

Infertility affects one in six couples. New digital resources exist which enable the study of lived experience of persons with infertility. Blogging represents a forum for sharing narratives and experiences. To provide high quality care for persons with a history of infertility, it is crucial to ascertain what they value as significant in their situation. Blogs with a focus on infertility may provide this information.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to gain insight into which infertility-related issues are discussed on Swedish infertility blogs.

METHODS

In total, 70 infertility blogs were identified on the Internet and 25 met the inclusion criteria. A quantitative-qualitative content analysis was performed with the support of the Gavagai Explorer text analysis software.

RESULTS

A total of 4508 postings were retrieved from the blogs, all of which were written by women. The outcome of the analysis resulted into the following topics: Emotions (16.8%), Relations (12.5%), Time and waiting (7.1%), Body (6.6%), Care and treatment (4.2%), Food and diet (1.4%) and Exercise (0.5%). For most topics, there was a balance between positive and negative statements, but the body topic stood out by having more negative than positive sentiment.

CONCLUSION

By considering the topics expressed in blogs, health care personnel are provided with an opportunity to better understand the situation of individuals affected by infertility.

Motivations for music information seeking as serious leisure in a virtual community: exploring a Eurovision fan club

Purpose

This study aims to examine the motivations of a group of music fans of the Eurovision Song Contest to seek information about the competition and to participate in a virtual community of fans.

Design/methodology/approach

The study draws from the uses and gratifications framework to understand the needs that a particular mass medium fulfills for its users. Fifteen Eurovision fans were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule. Interviewees were asked to talk about how they seek information about the competition, to relate their engagement and participation with the virtual community and to reflect on the role that the community of fans and the Eurovision have in their lives.

Findings

Content analysis revealed four themes that reflect the motivations that shape many aspects of participants lives, relating to seeking information about the Eurovision Song Contest, fulfilling the need for serious leisure, making social connections, finding a sense of belonging and forming an identity.

Social implications

The study examines the motivations of a group of people who share a common interest that shaped the ways the seek information, related to others, view themselves and construct their identity and make social connections, all to satisfy their love and admiration for the competition, and this regardless of the societal stigma that the competition might carry.

Originality/value

This study extends the literature on serious leisure information seeking by exploring the role that information and social media play in different aspects serious leisure activities.

Understanding the trust building mechanisms in social media

Purpose

Although the impacts of trust on information disclosure have been well recognized, the trust building mechanisms in social media are still underexplored. To fill this gap, the purpose of this paper is to explore two trust building mechanisms, namely, institution-based and transference-based trust building and identify how these two mechanisms vary across gender.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was conducted to collect data. The partial least squares method was used to examine the relationships among regulatory effectiveness, three trusting perceptions and disclosure intention. A cross-group path coefficient comparison method was used to test gender differences.

Findings

The results suggest that regulatory effectiveness affects competence- and character-based trust and these impacts are stronger for males than for females. Both competence- and character-based trust influence general trust in members while their impacts vary. Competence-based trust is more important for males while character-based trust is more important for females.

Originality/value

This study contributes to social media literature by identifying the two trust building mechanisms with special attention to the role of regulatory effectiveness and trust transfer. Further, this study also sheds light on how these two mechanisms vary across gender.

Determinants of effective SoLoMo advertising from the perspective of social capital

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate factors affecting attitudes toward social-local-mobile (SoLoMo) advertising from the perspective of social capital.

Design/methodology/approach

– There were 422 respondents filling out the survey instrument. The research model in this study is tested using SPSS 20 software.

Findings

– The results show that structural, relational, and cognitive dimensions of social capital have impacts on consumer attitudes toward SoLoMo advertising.

Originality/value

– It contributes to the literature by advancing our knowledge about determinants of effective SoLoMo advertising from the perspective of social capital. It also provides constructs that constitute the three dimensions in advertising. The author expands the understanding of the social relations under the context of business to consumer by adding substantial nuances to the understanding of the role of social capital in advertising. Finally, this study provides practical suggestions.