Kikuko Omori

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.

Trusting Social Media as a Source of Health Information: Online Surveys Comparing the United States, Korea, and Hong Kong

Background The Internet has increasingly become a popular source of health information by connecting individuals with health content, experts, and support. More and more, individuals turn to social media and Internet sites to share health information and experiences. Although online health information seeking occurs worldwide, limited empirical studies exist examining cross-cultural differences in perceptions about user-generated, experience-based information compared to expertise-based information sources. Objective To investigate if cultural variations exist in patterns of online health information seeking, specifically in perceptions of online health information sources. It was hypothesized that Koreans and Hongkongers, compared to Americans, would be more likely to trust and use experience-based knowledge shared in social Internet sites, such as social media and online support groups. Conversely, Americans, compared to Koreans and Hongkongers, would value expertise-based knowledge prepared and approved by doctors or professional health providers more. Methods Survey questionnaires were developed in English first and then translated into Korean and Chinese. The back-translation method ensured the standardization of questions. Surveys were administered using a standardized recruitment strategy and data collection methods. Results A total of 826 participants living in metropolitan areas from the United States (n=301), Korea (n=179), and Hong Kong (n=337) participated in the study. We found significant cultural differences in information processing preferences for online health information. A planned contrast test revealed that Koreans and Hongkongers showed more trust in experience-based health information sources (blogs: t 451.50=11.21, P<.001; online support group: t 455.71=9.30, P<.001; social networking sites [SNS]: t 466.75=11.36, P<.001) and also reported using blogs (t 515.31=6.67, P<.001) and SNS (t 529.22=4.51, P<.001) more frequently than Americans. Americans showed a stronger preference for using expertise-based information sources (eg, WebMD and CDC) compared to Koreans and Hongkongers (t 360.02=3.01, P=.003). Trust in expertise-based information sources was universal, demonstrating no cultural differences (Brown-Forsythe F 2,654=1.82, P=.16). Culture also contributed significantly to differences in searching information on behalf of family members (t 480.38=5.99, P<.001) as well as to the goals of information searching. Conclusions This research found significant cultural differences in information processing preferences for online health information. Further discussion is included regarding effective communication strategies in providing quality health information.

Japanese College Students’ Media Exposure to Sexually Explicit Materials, Perceptions of Women, and Sexually Permissive Attitudes

The present study examined Japanese college students’ ( N  = 476) use of sexually explicit material (SEM) and associations with perceptions of women as sex objects and sexually permissive attitudes. Results indicate that Japanese college students used print media most frequently as a source for SEM followed by the Internet and the television/video/DVD. Male participants used SEM significantly more than females. In addition, sexual preoccupancy mediated the relationship between exposure to SEM and perceptions of women as sex objects, whereas exposure to SEM in mass media had a direct association with Japanese participants’ sexually permissive attitudes.

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.

Testing an additive model for the effectiveness of evidence on the persuasiveness of a message

Meta-analyses provide support for the improved persuasiveness of a message including: (a) evidence source qualification, (b) assertive evidence, and (c) statistical over narrative evidence. The current empirical examination seeks to determine whether the persuasiveness of a message represents the additive effect of the individual message elements. The data in this investigation support this view of message persuasiveness.

Evidence of Analytic Versus Holistic Thinking in Viewing Magazine Images: Preliminary Findings

A qualitative cross-cultural comparison of native Japanese and Caucasian American women was used to examine whether the women critically processed magazine images differently. Four focus groups were used to generate data (n = 19). The data analysis revealed that the native Japanese women viewed magazine images holistically, whereas the Caucasian American participants processed images of fashion analytically. Implications of differences are discussed with analytic versus holistic thinking and traditional beauty ideals in Japanese and Caucasian American cultures.