Search Results (59)

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping customer service, with AI-powered chatbots serving as a critical component in delivering continuous support across sales, marketing, and service domains, thereby enhancing operational efficiency. However, consumer engagement remains suboptimal, as many users favor human interaction due to concerns regarding chatbots’ ability to address complex issues and their perceived lack of empathy, which subsequently reduces satisfaction and sustainable usage. This study examines the determinants of user attitude and identifies factors influencing sustainable chatbot use. Utilizing survey data from 735 Chinese university students who have engaged with AI-powered chatbots, the analysis reveals that four key motivational categories: utilitarian (information acquisition), hedonic (enjoyment and time passing), technology (media appeal), and social (social presence and interaction) significantly influence user attitude toward chatbot services. Conversely, privacy invasion exerts a negative impact on user attitude, suggesting that while chatbots provide certain benefits, privacy issues can significantly undermine user satisfaction. Moreover, the findings suggest that user attitude serves as a pivotal determinant in fostering both user stickiness and sustainable usage of chatbot services. This study advances prior U&G-, TAM-, and ECM-based research by applying these frameworks to AI-powered chatbots in business communication, refining the U&G model with four specific motivations, integrating perceived privacy invasion to bridge gratification theory with risk perception, and directly linking user motivations to business outcomes such as attitude and stickiness. This study underscores that optimizing chatbot functionalities to enhance user gratification while mitigating privacy risks can substantially improve user satisfaction and stickiness, offering valuable implications for businesses aiming to enhance customer loyalty through AI-powered services. Full article

As ad-supported subscription models proliferate across over-the-top (OTT) media platforms, understanding the psychological mechanisms and perceptual factors that underlie consumers’ transition decisions becomes increasingly consequential. This study integrates the Uses and Gratifications framework with a contemporary motivation-based perspective to examine how users’ media consumption motivations and advertising attitudes predict intentions to adopt ad-supported OTT plans. Data were collected via a nationally representative online survey in South Korea (N = 813). The sample included both premium subscribers (n = 708) and non-subscribers (n = 105). The findings reveal distinct segmentation in decision-making patterns. Among premium subscribers, switching intentions were predominantly driven by intrinsic motivations—particularly identity alignment with content—and by the perceived informational value of advertisements. These individuals are more likely to consider ad-supported plans when ad content is personally relevant and cognitively enriching. Conversely, non-subscribers exhibited greater sensitivity to extrinsic cues such as the entertainment value of ads and the presence of tangible incentives (e.g., discounts), suggesting a hedonic-reward orientation. By advancing a dual-pathway explanatory model, this study contributes to the theoretical discourse on digital subscription behavior and offers actionable insights for OTT service providers. The results underscore the necessity of segment-specific advertising strategies: premium subscribers may be engaged through informative and identity-consistent advertising, while non-subscribers respond more favorably to enjoyable and benefit-laden ad experiences. These insights inform platform monetization efforts amid the evolving dynamics of consumer attention and subscription fatigue. Full article

As augmented reality (AR) advertising becomes increasingly prevalent across digital platforms, understanding how its unique features influence consumer responses is critical for both theory and practice. Based on the elaboration likelihood model (ELM), this study develops and validates a dual-dimension content–dual-route processing model to investigate how different features of AR advertising influence consumer engagement. Specifically, it examines how product-related attributes (attractiveness, informativeness) and technology-related attributes (interactivity, augmentation) shape attitudes toward the ad and purchase intentions through cognitive (information credibility) and affective (enjoyment) pathways. Using data from an online survey (N = 299), the study applies partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the proposed model. The results show that informativeness and augmentation significantly enhance information credibility, while attractiveness primarily influences emotional responses. Interactivity and augmentation positively influence cognitive and affective responses. Mediation analysis confirms the simultaneous activation of central and peripheral processing routes, with flow experience emerging as a significant moderator in selected pathways. By introducing a structured framework for AR advertising content, this study extends the applicability of the ELM in immersive media contexts. It underscores the combined impact of rational evaluation and emotional engagement in shaping consumer behavior and offers practical insights for designing effective AR advertising strategies. Full article

This study aims to explore the mechanisms through which social media influences the cooperative learning attitudes and academic performance of design students in the context of China’s collectivist culture, providing a basis for the application of social media in design education. Using the Extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as the theoretical framework, a questionnaire survey of 305 students was conducted. Structural equation modelling and moderation effect analysis revealed that perceived usefulness, ease of use, enjoyment, and interactivity significantly influence students’ attitudes toward social media-based collaborative learning. This attitude directly enhances academic performance and is positively moderated by knowledge-sharing willingness and academic self-efficacy. This study validated the applicability of the extended TAM in online collaborative learning, revealing that positive attitudes toward collaborative learning can only effectively translate into academic outcomes when students possess sufficient knowledge-sharing willingness or self-efficacy. This provides empirical evidence for strategically leveraging social media in educational design. Full article

Non-consensual intimate media sharing (NCIMS)—defined as the non-consensual sharing of sexually explicit images or videos—has notably increased in recent years, despite legislative actions to tackle this. This study aimed to investigate whether the Dark Triad traits of narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy—as well as sex and social desirability—predicted NCIMS proclivity, enjoyment, and approval in UK university students. A total of 653 participants were recruited through Prolific, the University of Birmingham survey circle, and social media. All participants completed various measures to assess self-reported levels of Dark Triad traits, social desirability, and NCIMS proclivity, enjoyment, and approval. The results showed that the models for each multiple linear regression (NCIMS proclivity, enjoyment, and approval) were statistically significant, though only certain variables were independent predictors for each regression. For proclivity, only psychopathy independently added to the prediction. For enjoyment, significant predictors were sex, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. For approval, only Machiavellianism added statistically to the prediction. This research adds to the growing literature base around NCIMS, specifically within university students in the UK, and provides strong evidence for the development and implementation of interventions designed to address the likelihood of individuals perpetrating NCIMS. Full article

Although impulsive and hedonic purchasing behaviors may seem to contradict sustainability principles, there are unexplored opportunities through which social media platforms and influencers can redirect these impulses toward sustainable actions. Young consumers, increasingly concerned about the ecological impact of their choices, can be encouraged to adopt responsible and sustainable buying behaviors when these are promoted attractively, enjoyably, and emotionally satisfyingly through social media. This research investigates how social media communication influences hedonic and impulsive purchasing behavior in the Romanian clothing market. In the context where social media is one of the main sources of information and influence for consumers, the research analyzes several determining factors of the purchase decision. Price reductions and the use of credit cards are highlighted as elements that facilitate spontaneous and hedonic targeted purchases, while the attractiveness of clothing items and the need felt play an important role in terms of the desire to buy. In addition, sources of information (such as reviews) have a major impact on consumers’ perceptions and their purchase intentions. Additionally, the study investigates factors such as overall shopping experience and its influence on consumer loyalty. It is approached from two perspectives: attitudinal loyalty, reflected in the preference for brands promoted on social media, and behavioral loyalty, expressed through repeat purchases. The results show that social media acts as an accelerator for hedonic and impulsive buying behaviors, prompting consumers to react quickly to stimuli such as discount campaigns or personalized recommendations. The conclusions highlight the importance of adopting digital marketing strategies that capitalize on the consumers emotional need while also strengthening brand loyalty. These perspectives can guide companies in the clothing industry to adapt their promotion methods to the specifics of the Romanian market and the consumer behavior. Full article

The prevalence of e-cigarette use (vaping) in young adults is concerning, particularly because the initiation of combustible tobacco use is higher in e-cigarette vapers. It is unclear why young, never-smoker vapers decide to start smoking cigarettes, but they may be influenced by perceptions of health risks and accessibility. We designed a social media questionnaire to assess factors driving the initiation of combustible tobacco use by e-cigarette vapers (multi-inhalant use) and switches between inhalant types. Respondents reported an earlier initiation of combustible tobacco versus vaping (18 vs. 19, respectively, p < 0.0001), greater ease of obtaining combustibles versus vaping products (p < 0.01), and pleasure of vaping being equivalent to that of smoking. The majority of subjects (57%) reported smoking first prior to adding vaping devices, 32% reported initiating both smoking and vaping within 12 months of one another, and 11% reported initiating vaping first. Among respondents (n = 864) who switched from vaping to smoking (n = 104), the primary reasons included 1. the perception that smoking was healthier (44%) and 2. greater accessibility of cigarettes (40%). For those who switched from smoking to vaping (n = 178), the predominant motivations included 1. having friends or family who vape (40%) and 2. the perception that vaping was healthier (36%). Among multi-inhalant users (n = 223), key factors driving this behavior included 1. increased enjoyment (47%) and 2. greater variety (42%). Our findings imply that there is no single, dominant reason driving the initiation of combustible use or switching from one inhalant to another. Further, tobacco users are receiving mixed messaging, leading many to believe that combustible tobacco is the healthier option. Public health interventions are needed to prevent the initiation of e-cigarette vaping by youth and to educate the public about the health effects of tobacco products. Full article

Mobile technology, especially mobile learning, has long been an emerging and thriving field, and remains a main theme in mobile learning applications and systems. The extensive utilization of mobile learning has prompted the invention of many mobile applications. As a result of rapid advances in application technologies, various learning applications can combine different media or multi-modalities, such as video, audio, images, animated graphics, and text, to create multimedia learning resources that engage learners. However, the most favorable modalities in different learning applications that assist performance are worth exploring. This study employed mixed methods to investigate the current multi-modality situation in learning application utilization among 300 university students in China, where a rapid educational technology revolution is occurring. The findings revealed that the verbal modality (M = 3.99, S*D = 0.79) and the writing modality (M = 3.99, S*D = 0.75) in the learning applications were less enjoyable and less effective at enhancing learning performance. In exam-based or function-based apps, all five modalities in this research were considered important, especially the visual and aural modes. The results of this study also revealed that a majority of university learners were satisfied with the multi-modalities in different types of applications, except for game-based apps, that assist their learning performance (56.7%, M = 3.87, S*D = 0.79), which contrasts with the results of several related studies. Overall, college users perceived that multi-modalities were effective in helping them to complete tasks, and all modalities in current applications satisfied most of the users’ needs to assist their learning performance. In the end, the findings indicated a positive and strong linear relationship [r = 0.766, p < 0.05] between multi-modalities and assisted learning performance with the help of more capable (knowledgeable) others with the use of mobile applications. Full article

Background/Objectives: There is limited research on vaping during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Amid the legalization of cannabis in Canada, and evolving patterns of nicotine use, there is a growing need to understand how women experience using nicotine and cannabis vaping during pregnancy and postpartum. This information is essential to inform both women and healthcare providers (HCPs) and to develop resources and best practices for supporting women and healthcare services. Methods: In this descriptive study, a sample of 111 women who vaped nicotine and/or cannabis during pregnancy/postpartum was recruited via social media to answer survey questions on reasons for vaping, perceptions of the risks to fetal and maternal health, attitudes toward vaping, and reasons for consulting HCPs regarding vaping during pregnancy. Results: Among the 111 women, 51.4% vaped nicotine, 27.9% vaped cannabis, and 20.7% vaped both. Of the respondents, 63.1% were currently pregnant, while 36.9% were postpartum. Most participants (64.9%) reported vaping daily, followed by 15.3% with an inconsistent pattern, 9.9% vaping 1–2 days a week, and 9% vaping 5–6 days a week. Flavor preferences were prevalent, with fruit flavors being the most popular, followed by menthol/mint and candy, dessert, or sweet flavors. The primary reasons for vaping were relaxation, managing anxiety/depression, enjoyment, and the belief that vaping is less harmful than smoking. Women commonly consulted HCPs about potential harm to their pregnancy, fetal health, and their child’s health. Conclusions: The findings suggest that vaping among pregnant and postpartum women, particularly cannabis vaping, is perceived as healthier than smoking and is often used to manage mental and physical symptoms. These findings were used to create knowledge products to help guide HCPs’ conversations with women and provide evidence-based information on vaping. Full article

Cultural ecosystem services provide intangible benefits such as recreation and aesthetic enjoyment but are difficult to quantify compared to provisioning or regulating ecosystem services. Recent technologies offer alternative indicators, such as social media data, to identify popular locations and their features. This study demonstrates how large volumes of citizen science and social media data can be analyzed to reveal patterns of human interactions with nature through unconventional, scalable methods. By applying spatial statistical methods, data from the citizen science platform iNaturalist are analyzed and compared with ground-truth visitation data. To minimize data bias, records are grouped by taxonomic information and applied to the metropolitan area of Seoul, South Korea (2005–2022). The taxonomic information included in the iNaturalist data were investigated using a standard global biodiversity database. The results show citizen science data effectively quantify public preferences for scenic locations, offering a novel approach to mapping cultural ecosystem services when traditional data are unavailable. This method highlights the potential of large-scale citizen-generated data for conservation, urban planning, and policy development. However, challenges like bias in user-generated content, uneven ecosystem coverage, and the over- or under-representation of locations remain. Addressing these issues and integrating additional metadata—such as time of visit, demographics, and seasonal trends—could provide deeper insights into human–nature interactions. Overall, the proposed method opens up new possibilities for using non-traditional data sources to assess and map ecosystem services, providing valuable information for conservation efforts, urban planning, and environmental policy development. Full article

The vast amount of audiovisual and multimedia content that is currently delivered via multiple ways and platforms makes media literacy imperative to enhance citizens’ ability to assess the credibility and trustworthiness of media sources. By recognizing bias and misinformation and understanding the impact the media can have on individuals and society, media literate citizens are better equipped to analyze the information they receive, thus presenting critical thinking. This paper, through research conducted among university students that attended the course of “Creative studio and audiovisual productions” at the Department of Communication and Digital Media, University of Western Macedonia, Greece, aims to present the effective use of interactive video production to media literacy. Prior to the beginning of the semester, the students were asked to state, among other things, their knowledge of media literacy, their digital literacy levels, and their skills level on various forms of video productions. At the end of the semester, they were asked to assess the knowledge and skills acquired through the process of creating an interactive video production on media literacy. The results revealed that through this project that brought them enjoyment, they gained knowledge, and they highly valued the role of interactive videos as communication tools. Full article

This study investigates the impact of social media use on faculty job performance, exploring the mediating roles of internal communication and teamwork. Drawing on the Uses and Gratifications theory, we examine how faculty members utilize social media for three distinct purposes: social interaction (social use), enjoyment (hedonic use), and information seeking (cognitive use). We analyze how these three dimensions of social media use influence teachers’ performance, encompassing both routine and innovative aspects. This analysis is based on data collected via an online survey completed by 456 faculty members at public state colleges in northern India in 2024. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypotheses. The findings reveal that social, hedonic, and cognitive use of social media positively affects faculty innovative and routine job performance, with teamwork and internal communication acting as partial mediators in this relationship. This research offers valuable insights for faculty development professionals, educational administrators, and policymakers. Full article

Urban forest parks play a vital role in promoting physical activities (PAs) and providing cultural ecosystem services (CESs) that enhance citizens’ well-being. This study aims to reevaluate CESs by focusing on the physical activity experiences of park visitors to optimize park management and enhance citizen satisfaction. This study utilized social media data and employed natural language processing techniques and text analysis tools to examine experiences related to physical activities in Beijing Olympic Forest Park, Xishan Forest Park, and Beigong Forest Park. A specialized sports activity dictionary was developed to filter and analyze comments related to PA, emphasizing the impact of natural environments on enjoyment and participation in PA. The importance–performance analysis (IPA) method was used to assess the service characteristics of each park. The findings reveal that urban forest parks are highly valued by citizens, particularly for their natural landscapes, leisure activities, and the emotional fulfillment derived from PA, with 82.58% of comments expressing positive sentiments. Notably, appreciation for natural landscapes was exceptionally high, as evidenced by the frequent mentions of key terms such as ‘scenery’ (mentioned 2871 times), ‘autumn’ (mentioned 2314 times), and ‘forest’ (mentioned 1439 times), which significantly influence park usage. However, 17.11% of the reviews highlighted dissatisfaction, primarily with the management of facilities and services during sports and cultural activities. These insights underscore the need for performance improvements in ecological environments and sports facilities. This study provides a novel perspective on assessing and optimizing urban forest parks’ functions, particularly in supporting active physical engagement. The rich CESs offered by these parks enhance physical activity experiences and overall satisfaction. The findings offer strategic insights for park managers to better meet citizens’ needs and improve park functionality. Full article

In recent years, 360° videos have gained the attention of researchers investigating their educational potential. Given the ongoing debate about their impact on learning, particularly with young students, where existing research is minimal, a comprehensive study was conducted to evaluate their effectiveness relative to other media forms. The study followed a within-subjects design and involved 44 kindergarten students learning about wild animals over nine sessions. The 360° videos were compared to printed materials and conventional videos. Evaluation tests were used for measuring knowledge acquisition, while questionnaires were used for collecting data related to students’ motivation, enjoyment/positive feelings, immersion, and ease of use. The findings suggest that, compared to printed materials, 360° videos enhance knowledge acquisition. However, this advantage does not extend to comparisons with conventional videos. Similarly, while enjoyment and motivation were higher for 360° videos compared to printed materials, they did not surpass those associated with conventional videos. Despite their potential, 360° videos were deemed the least easy to use, likely due to the employment of low-cost HMDs. Immersion emerged as the only factor where 360° videos excelled, demonstrating a notable influence on learning outcomes. The implications of the study are also discussed. Full article

Adopting a plant-based diet (PBD) has been shown to reduce the risk of developing certain diseases and is linked to environmental benefits. This review synthesises the evidence on the barriers adults aged 18 to 65 living in high-income countries (HIC) may experience when adopting a PBD. A systematic literature review was conducted using four search databases: Medline, Embase, Global Health, and Web of Science. Barriers were mapped to behaviour change strategies using the COM-B model. Ten studies were included in the final review, including 1740 participants. Five were qualitative, four were cross-sectional, and one was a pre- and-post-intervention study. In total, 40 barriers were identified and synthesised into 11 themes: financial, lack of knowledge, emotional, health, convenience, social, enjoyment of meat, environmental, accessibility, personal ability, and media. Of the 40 barriers, nutritional intake/requirements (categorised into the “health” theme) had the most evidence. This barrier encompassed concerns around being able to meet nutritional needs if an individual were to adopt a PBD. Habits (in the “personal ability” theme), which included established eating habits and habitual behaviours relating to animal-source foods, had the second most evidence alongside the barrier of not knowing what to eat as part of a PBD (in the “lack of knowledge” theme). Education interventions and communication/marketing policies were the behaviour change mechanisms mapped onto these barriers. Future interventions should focus on informing individuals about what to consume as part of a nutritionally balanced PBD and facilitating habitual dietary change. Full article