Eun Hwa Jung

Social networking in the aging context: Why older adults use or avoid Facebook

We examine senior citizens perceptions of Facebook with the help of in-depth interviews.Our interviews identify six motivations to use Facebook and six reasons to avoid using Facebook.Facebook can be a promising venue for inter-generational communication.Clear privacy control tools are needed to promote senior citizens Facebook use. Despite a growing body of research about older adults use of social networking sites (SNS), scholars have not fully explored how this technology is meeting this groups interactional and information-seeking needs. How do these older adults view this technology? What are their communication needs and expectations and why are they drawn to it? To address these questions and fill a gap in the literature, this study draws upon in-depth interviews with 46 older adults (average age: 80.4years) about their perceptions of Facebook, which was the leading SNS at the time of writing. Analysis of interview data revealed six primary reasons for using Facebook (keeping in touch, sharing photos, social surveillance, responding to family member requests, convenient communication, curiosity) and six primary reasons for not using Facebook (privacy, need for media richness, preference for familiarity, triviality of communication, time commitment, frustration with site tools). Emergent findings hold implications for future research and SNS design.

Employee communication, job engagement, and organizational commitment: A study of members of the Millennial Generation

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between job engagement and two key components of employee-organization relationships (EOR). Findings from a survey of members of the Millennial Generation (N = 539) in the United States indicate that job engagement mediates the relationship between employee communication and organizational commitment. It is concluded that when employees are engaged in their work, their commitment to the organization is strengthened and the likelihood of them leaving the organization decreases. Furthermore, an argument is made in light of the study’s findings that engagement and commitment work in concert to strengthen EORs overall. To foster engagement, organizations should remove obstacles to internal information flow and provide ongoing feedback to employees about individual and organizational issues.

Feminizing Robots: User Responses to Gender Cues on Robot Body and Screen

Robots are increasingly being deployed in a number of domains typically associated with female workers, e.g., caregiving. Although past robot morphology has favored a machine-like appearance that is often perceived as masculine, monitor-based robots provide designers with enhanced opportunities to include interface cues that convey femininity. However, it is unclear whether screen-based interface cues can elicit perceptions of femininity and what effects, if any, they would have on user evaluations of a robot. To address this, we conducted an experiment examining the effect of gender cue (male vs. female) and cue location (robot body vs. robot screen) upon user evaluations. Female interface cues, especially when conveyed via the screen, elicited greater perceptions of robot femininity than male interface cues. Implications for the design of social robotics are discussed.

Cheery companions or serious assistants? Role and demeanor congruity as predictors of robot attraction and use intentions among senior citizens

Abstract Using a robot designed for senior citizens in a retirement home setting, an experiment (N=51) was conducted to investigate whether variations in the role (companion vs. assistant) and social demeanor (playful vs. serious) of a robot influence senior citizens’ perceptions of the robots social attractiveness, intelligence, anxiety, and eeriness. Results show that assistant robots are perceived as more socially attractive and intelligent when their demeanor is playful rather than serious. In addition, companion robots are evaluated as less anxious and less eerie when their personality is serious rather than playful. Finally, companion robots with a serious demeanor have a positive indirect effect on robot use intentions via heightened perceptions of intelligence and social attractiveness, while assistant robots with a playful demeanor have a positive indirect effect on intentions via lower perceptions of anxiety. The implications of our findings for human-robot interaction and the design of socially assistive robotics are discussed.

Status update: Gratifications derived from Facebook affordances by older adults:

Guided by the Uses and Gratifications 2.0 approach, this study examines the role played by three classes of affordances (i.e. modality, agency, and interactivity) in explicating the gratifications derived by older adults on Facebook. Data from a content analysis of Facebook profiles and an online survey with older adults (aged 60 years and older) who have used Facebook for at least 1 year (N = 202) show that while status updating and posting personal stories are associated with activity and community-building gratifications respectively, profile customization is key for obtaining agency-enhancement gratification, and participating in conversations on comment threads plays an important role in providing interaction gratification. These findings advance our understanding of social networking site (SNS) use among older adults and suggest interface designs that maximize gratifications for older adults.

WeChatting for Health: An Examination of the Relationship between Motivations and Active Engagement

ABSTRACT As one of the largest mobile social media in the world, WeChat holds great potential for promoting health. Users not only seek and exchange health information on WeChat but also fulfill their health-related needs afforded by the platform. Using the two-step procedure common in uses and gratifications research, in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 WeChat users to explore their motivations for health-related uses on the platform, which were further rated by 522 WeChat users in China through a national wide online survey. Exploratory factor analysis identified five motivations: information seeking, building self-agency, social interaction, technological convenience, and self-expression. A series of hierarchical regression analyses reveals that social interaction is the best predictor of healthcare information engagement on WeChat, followed by building self-agency, information needs, and self-expression. The findings of this study contribute to the understanding of the psychological antecedents of using mobile social media for health-related purposes and the subsequent active behavior responses.

Using the “New Directions” to Move Media Viewers in the Right Directions

Great concern exists about the marginalization of stigmatized groups in the United States (Link & Phelan, 2013). Stigma involves the severe social disapproval of a person based solely on possession of unique features or characteristics that set them apart from others in society (Goffman, 1990). Numerous negative outcomes are associated with stigma, including stereotyping, neglect, devalued social identity, discrimination, and prejudice (Miller & Kaiser, 2001).

Theories and Messages in South Korean Antismoking Advertising

This study evaluated antismoking advertisements in South Korean television by drawing upon a Health Communication article by Cohen, Shumate, and Gold (2007) and on Gold, Cohen, and Shumate’s (2008) typology. This study examined the theories and messages in South Korean antismoking advertisements. First, South Korean antismoking advertisements primarily targeted adults. In addition, the advertisements for adults normally used statistical evidence, whereas those for adolescents often used testimonial evidence. In terms of the type of performance, narration was often used in advertisements for both adults and adolescents. Second, the most prevalent persuasive health message used social norms, whereas the most prevalent affective appeal used fear appeals. Third, antismoking advertisements in South Korea mentioned more benefits of not smoking than barriers to not smoking. This study also identified the message difference in the U.S. and South Korean antismoking advertisements.