“Friend” or Foe? Why People Friend Disliked Others on Facebook

This study explores the disconnection that exists between the number of friends and relationships people maintain in their face-to-face interactions and the number of connections people establish on social networking sites. Specifically, we examined the extent to which Facebook users “friend” people they dislike and find annoying on Facebook and the reasons people offer for engaging in these seemingly nonintuitive behaviors. The results indicate that, in a sample of college students (N = 305), the majority of Facebook users are friends with people they dislike on Facebook (61%) and actively read the postings of individuals even though they find their postings annoying (85%). Participants’ sex, intensity of Facebook use, and general relational anxiety all independently predicted the occurrence of friending disliked others and actively reading annoying postings. A uses and gratifications framework was adopted to develop a typology of reasons why people engage in these behaviors. Monitoring, surveillance, downward social comparison, and other explanations were provided by participants to account for their behavior on Facebook. How engaging in these online behaviors might affect the psychological well-being of individuals and quality of interpersonal relationships is discussed, and future directions for research are offered.     

News coverage of abortion between Roe and Webster: Public opinion and real‐world events

Based on agenda‐setting research, this study focused on the links between media coverage, real‐world indicators, and public opinion about abortion. We conducted a content analysis of coverage of the abortion issue in two prestige newspapers, The New York Times and the Washington Post, between two key Supreme Court rulings. We hypothesized that amount of coverage would (a) increase during election years, (b) be related to number of abortions performed, and (c) be related to public opinion about abortion rights. We found mixed support for our hypotheses. Abortion coverage did peak during election years but was not related to the number of abortions performed, and was related negatively to public acceptance of abortion rights.     

使用与满足:一个标签化的理论

使用与满足是传播学最流行和最重要的理论之一。本文批判性地回顾了该理论的起源与发展,分析了该理论的潜在假设以及对该理论的批评。该理论在还没充分发展成系统的实证理论之前,已经制度化于传播学研究中。一方面它被当成是一个正式的理论而被广泛运用到对媒介采纳、选择、使用/接触的研究中,另一方面它越来越趋向于一个标签化的理论而非正式的系统的实证理论。     

研究回顾：作为传媒现象的准社会交往

本文首先介绍了准社会交往研究的心理学缘起,解释准社会交往的"缺陷"论和"通用范式"论,然后对准社会交往作为传媒现象的相关研究进行了回顾.     

Exploring the Influence of Parasocial Relationships and Experiences on Radio Listeners’ Consumer Behaviors

The purpose of the present study was to explore the influence of radio listener experiences on radio listening behaviors, consumer perceptions and behaviors, and social media involvement. A national sample of listeners (N = 2,700) from a variety of small, medium, and large designated market areas (N = 9) throughout the United States revealed the presence of parasocial relationships (PSRs) and experiences of parasocial interaction (EPSI) with local and nationally syndicated radio personalities. Both PSRs and EPSI predicted radio listening, positive perceptions about, recall of, and purchasing of the brands, products, and services recommended by listeners’ favorite radio personalities. Results also show that PSRs and EPSI predicted listeners’ involvement with social media platforms.     

Does Facebook Use Predict College Students’ Social Capital? A Replication of Ellison,Steinfield, and Lampe’s (2007) Study Using the Original and More Recent Measures of Facebook Use and Social Capital

In 2007 Ellison, Steinfield, and Lampe published an article on the positive association between Facebook use and social capital that started a decade of research on the social outcomes of social network site use. Although cited almost 9,000 times, it received critique on the conceptualization and operationalization of Facebook use and social capital. In this study we replicate Ellison et al.’s study with original and alternative measures of social capital and Facebook use, thereby shedding light on the robustness, stability, and ecological validity of the original findings. We found that Facebook intensity positively predicts the original social capital measures, lending support to the validity of the original findings. Its relationship with structural measures, however, was weak for bridging and absent for bonding social capital.     

Realism Matters: The Role of Perceived Realism in The Biggest Loser

This study investigated implications of viewing The Biggest Loser, NBC’s popular reality television show. Using online survey data collected from 613 participants, results suggest that exposure to the program is positively associated with perceived realism of the program, which in turn is positively associated with developing internal weight locus of control. Meanwhile, internal weight locus of control is positively associated with audience members’ exercise behavior, meaning the higher level of internal weight locus of control the audience members develop, the more likely they are to engage in physical exercise. This study offers evidence that health-related reality television might be a useful tool to influence audience members’ cognitions on health issues, which could potentially lead to healthy lifestyles.     

The Relationships of Perceived Health Professionals’ Communication Traits and Credibility with Perceived Patient Confidentiality

Patients at a large medical clinic provided data permitting an analysis of the relationships of perceived communication behaviors (nonverbal immediacy, assertiveness, and responsiveness) and source credibility (competence and caring) with perceptions of the confidentiality of their medical records. Perceptions of physicians, nurses, and support staff were employed. The results indicate that patients’ perceptions of the communication behaviors and credibility of physicians, nurses, and support staff are meaningfully related to patients’ perceptions of confidentiality. The problems of actual confidentiality and perceived confidentiality are discussed in relation to the role of communication as part of the problem and a potential part of the solution.     

社会性网络服务用户使用激励因素研究——基于U&G理论的社会化视角

本文从\"使用与满足\"(Uses and Gratifications,U&G)理论的社会化视角出发,探讨社会性网络服务(So-cial Networking Service,SNS)用户从哪些特定使用能够获得社会化满足,分析他们与SNS用户的访问频率、使用时长之间的相关关系,进而把握SNS用户使用的激励因素与行为规律。作者选择本土领先的社会性网络服务——人人网用户为研究对象,通过问卷方法进行数据收集,并且对于模型进行实证检验与分析。实证结果表明:旧关系维持、信息分享是SNS用户社会化满足的两个重要来源,并且激励用户经常、长时间地访问社会性网络服务;自我展现也是SNS用户社会化满足的重要来源,会促使用户经常性访问,但是并不会占有用户太多时间;新关系建立并不会导致用户社会化满足,也并非实际使用的激励因素。