Hayeon Song

Strategic misrepresentation in online dating: The effects of gender, self-monitoring, and personality traits:

This study examines factors (including gender, self-monitoring, the big five personality traits, and demographic characteristics) that influence online dating service users’ strategic misrepresentation (i.e., the conscious and intentional misrepresentation of personal characteristics). Using data from a survey of online dating service users (N = 5,020), seven categories of misrepresentation — personal assets, relationship goals, personal interests, personal attributes, past relationships, weight, and age — were examined. The study found that men are more likely to misrepresent personal assets, relationship goals, personal interests, and personal attributes, whereas women are more likely to misrepresent weight. The study further discovered that self-monitoring (specifically other-directedness) was the strongest and most consistent predictor of misrepresentation in online dating. Agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness also showed consistent relationships with misrepresentation.

Does Facebook make you lonely

Meta-analysis on the relationship between Facebook use and loneliness.Found a positive relationship between Facebook use and loneliness.Tested two causal models on the relationship between Facebook use and loneliness.Lonely people use Facebook, rather than Facebook makes its users lonely.Adding evidence to better understand the Internet paradox. This meta-analysis explores the relationship between Facebook use and loneliness. Examination of the literature containing quantitative measurements of both Facebook use and loneliness, including close variations of the definition of loneliness, produced a sample of 18 research effects (N=8798) for review. This study asks two main questions: (1) Does using Facebook increase or decrease loneliness?; and (2) What causes what?: Does Facebook make its users lonely (or less lonely), or do lonely people (or less lonely people) use Facebook? First, researchers observed a significant overall average effect in the positive relationship between Facebook use and loneliness. Researchers also point to measurements of Facebook use as well as measurements of loneliness (and its variations) as possible moderating features or sources of variability in the relationship. Testing the relationship between Facebook use and loneliness in the context of two causal models revealed that (a) the first model outlining a path from elements of loneliness to Facebook use was not an adequate explanation of the data; whereas, (b) testing the relationship for a path in the second model from elements of Facebook use to loneliness showed results consistent with the data.

Promoting Exercise Self-Efficacy With an Exergame

A new generation of exercise video games (exergames) shows promise as a tool to motivate and engage users in physical activity. However, little research has been conducted to examine whether exergames work equally well across diverse populations and contexts. Therefore, in the present study, the authors investigated the effects of an individual psychological difference factor and a specific contextual factor on the exercise experience using an exergame. They used the objective self-awareness theory as the theoretical underpinning. In a 2 (seeing the image of self on screen: seeing oneself vs. not seeing oneself) × 2 (body image dissatisfaction: low vs. high) between-subjects design experiment, the authors found significant interaction effects showing that the feature of seeing the image of self on screen provided by the exergame works positively for individuals with low body image dissatisfaction, yet works negatively for individuals with high body image dissatisfaction. The finding of the present study has significant implications for health professionals and individuals who use the new generation of exergames for physical activities.

The effects of competition and competitiveness upon intrinsic motivation in exergames

This study examined the role of competition in exercise video games to promote intrinsic motivation for exercise. The experiment was a 2 (Competitive exercise context: Competition vs. No competition)x2 (Individual competitiveness: High vs. Low) between-subjects design. The results showed significant interaction effects of the independent variables on intrinsic motivation, mood, and evaluation of the exergame. That is, the competitive context provided positive exergame experiences to competitive individuals, whereas it had detrimental effects for less competitive participants. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Health information seeking in the Web 2.0 age

Self-disclosure is purposeful disclosure of personal information to other people, and online self-disclosure on health-related issues is important in promoting a safe and sound online health environment. The present study investigates the ways in which youths engage in online self-disclosure of health-related issues in the Web 2.0 age. We examine how self-disclosure is driven by the level of trust in social media and uncertainty reduction actions, i.e., seeking information to verify and challenge the prescription after visiting medical professionals. Comparative surveys were conducted in Hong Kong, South Korea, and the U.S., respectively. Compared to their counterparts in South Korea and the U.S., youths in Hong Kong were significantly more likely to disclose personal health issues with peers online. Hong Kong youths also held the highest level of trust towards health-related information on social media. Meanwhile, both the level of trust in social media and uncertainty reduction actions were positively associated with online self-disclosure. It examines how youths engage in online self-disclosure of health-related issues.Comparative surveys were conducted in Hong Kong, South Korea, and the U.S.Youths in Hong Kong were more likely to disclose personal health issues online.Trust in social media increased online self-disclosure in the U.S. and Hong Kong.Uncertainty reduction actions facilitated self-disclosure in all three societies.

A two-way text-messaging system answering health questions for low-income pregnant women

OBJECTIVE The purpose of the study was to gauge the effectiveness of a low-cost, automated, two-way text-messaging system to distribute pregnancy and health-related information to low-income expectant women. METHODS In total, 20 participants were recruited for a one-month intervention involving the use of cell phones to text pregnancy-related questions to the system. Participants received either a direct answer or encouragement to seek answers from health care providers. Pre- and post-tests as well as a focus group at the end of the intervention were conducted. RESULTS Participants uniformly found the system easy to use and accessible. Using the system increased levels of perceived pregnancy-related knowledge and facilitated patient-provider communication. Moreover, participants reported significant reductions in stress and depression and improved mental health after using the system. The system responded to most known questions quickly and accurately, and also encountered many new topics and linguistic expressions. CONCLUSION Overall, the data indicated that the text messaging system offered psychological benefits and promoted health communication by providing health information and encouraging patient-provider communication. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS An automated, two-way text messaging system is an efficient, cost-effective, and acceptable method for providing health information to low-income pregnant women.

Information Needs, Seeking Behaviors, and Support Among Low-Income Expectant Women

Previous studies have consistently found associations between low income and infant health outcomes. Moreover, although health information-seeking is a maternal behavior related to improved health outcomes, little is known about the health information-seeking behaviors and information needs of low-income pregnant women. The purpose of the current investigation was to examine the information needs, information-seeking behaviors, and perceived informational support of low-income pregnant women. Accordingly, the study recruited 63 expectant women enrolled in a subsidized prenatal care program in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during two time periods: March–May 2011 and October–December 2011. Results indicated that participants relied heavily upon interpersonal sources of information, especially family and the father of the baby; rarely used the Internet for health-related information; and desired information beyond infant and maternal health, such as finding jobs and accessing community/government resources. Participants who used family members as primary sources of information also had significantly increased levels of perceived informational support and reduced uncertainty about pregnancy. Our findings have implications for the dissemination of pregnancy-related health information among low-income expectant women.

Cancer survivor identity shared in a social media intervention.

This study investigates how cancer survivors construct their identities and the impact on their psychological health, as measured by depression and survivor self-efficacy. Fourteen young adult survivors of pediatric cancer participated in a customized social networking and video blog intervention program, the LIFECommunity, over a 6-month period. Survivors were asked to share their stories on various topics by posting video messages. Those video blog postings, along with survey data collected from participants, were analyzed to see how cancer survivors expressed their identities, and how these identities are associated with survivors’ psychosocial outcomes. In survivors who held negative stereotypes about cancer survivors, there was a positive relationship with depression while positive stereotypes had a marginal association with cancer survivor efficacy. Findings indicate that although pediatric cancer survivors often do not publicly discuss a “cancer survivor identity,” they do internalize both positive and negative stereotypes about cancer survivorship. It is important for practitioners to be aware of the long-term implications of cancer survivor identity and stereotypes.

Full length articleHealth information seeking in the Web 2.0 age: Trust in social media, uncertainty reduction, and self-disclosure

Self-disclosure is purposeful disclosure of personal information to other people, and online self-disclosure on health-related issues is important in promoting a safe and sound online health environment. The present study investigates the ways in which youths engage in online self-disclosure of health-related issues in the Web 2.0 age. We examine how self-disclosure is driven by the level of trust in social media and uncertainty reduction actions, i.e., seeking information to verify and challenge the prescription after visiting medical professionals. Comparative surveys were conducted in Hong Kong, South Korea, and the U.S., respectively. Compared to their counterparts in South Korea and the U.S., youths in Hong Kong were significantly more likely to disclose personal health issues with peers online. Hong Kong youths also held the highest level of trust towards health-related information on social media. Meanwhile, both the level of trust in social media and uncertainty reduction actions were positively associated with online self-disclosure. It examines how youths engage in online self-disclosure of health-related issues.Comparative surveys were conducted in Hong Kong, South Korea, and the U.S.Youths in Hong Kong were more likely to disclose personal health issues online.Trust in social media increased online self-disclosure in the U.S. and Hong Kong.Uncertainty reduction actions facilitated self-disclosure in all three societies.

Information Gathering and Technology Use Among Low-Income Minority Men at Risk for Prostate Cancer

Health communication researchers, public health workers, and health professionals must learn more about the health information-gathering behavior of low-income minority men at risk for prostate cancer in order to share information effectively with the population. In collaboration with the Milwaukee Health Department Men’s Health Referral Network, a total of 90 low-income adult men were recruited to complete a survey gauging information sources, seeking behavior, use of technology, as well as prostate cancer awareness and screening behavior. Results indicated participants primarily relied on health professionals, family, and friends for information about general issues of health as well as prostate cancer. The Internet was the least relied on source of information. A hierarchical regression indicated interpersonal information sources such as family or friends to be the only significant predictor enhancing prostate cancer awareness, controlling for other sources of information. Prostate screening behaviors were predicted by reliance on not only medical professionals but also the Internet. Practical implications of the study are discussed.