Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Theory: Recent Internet related
literatures showed that the Internet reinforces likely voters but fail
to recruits unlikely voters. However most researches did not account
the purpose of Internet usage, especially its use for political
purpose. Despite of uncountable political information within the
Internet, non-political internet users tend not to access political
information. Thus, Internet effects on voting are actually appeared
only among political-Internet users. Since netizens use the Internet
self-selectively, the research about the Internet effects on voting
should consider the purpose of the Internet usage and the degree of
Internet usage. Hypothesis: Since Internet is an active rather than
passive information access tool, political internet users are more
willingly to access political information than general Internet users.
It naturally reinforces likely voters to vote and recruits unlikely
voters to vote. However, for those non-political users as well as
non-users, the Internet is not a powerful political means no matter how
much they use the Internet.
Data: Telephone survey was conducted in the spring of 2003 (from March
to June) by Social Behavior Research Institution at Purdue University.
Method: Series of questions asked to measure respondents’ usage of
Internet for political purpose. Discriminant analysis is used for
clarifying likely voters and unlikely voters. Crosstable will be
produced to compare estimated turnout and actual turnout to see whether
Internet performs reinforce role or recruitment role among political
Internet users, general Internet users and non-users. Anticipated
result: For political users, both reinforcement role among likely
voters and recruitment role among unlikely voters will be confirmed.
For general Internet users, only reinforce role will be confirmed among
likely voters. However, there is no difference significantly between
general Internet users and non-users both reinforcement and recruitment
role indicating in fact no Internet effects for general Internet users
and non-users. Implication: Most Internet users are
specific-information finder rather than mindless suffers. The effects
of the Internet in political attitude as well as other attitude do
significantly rely on the degree of Internet usage and the purpose of
using Internet. To measure Internet effects appropriately, knowing how
much do they use and what their purposes is the first thing to do. It
will help Internet-Information-providers to draw maximum
effect.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: The anonymity of the Internet has enabled people to seek information and help regarding various forms of medical and mental illnesses. This study addresses the research question "Do people who use the Internet more frequently and for longer periods of time experience lower symptoms of depression than less frequent users?" It points out two gaps that previous studies on the relationships between Internet use, Internet self-efficacy and depression have failed to address: (1) the lack of consideration for the gender of Internet users; and (2) that the focus in this area have been on finding linear effects amongst related variables. This study proposed a moderated-mediation model and used path analysis to test it, results found that Internet efficacy, mediated by a person’s gender, has different effects on depression according to the amount of Internet use. Implications, limitations and directions for future studies are discussed.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: The anonymity of the Internet has enabled people to seek information and help regarding various forms of medical and mental illnesses. This study addresses the research question “Do people who use the Internet more frequently and for longer periods of time experience lower symptoms of depression than less frequent users?” Drawing from a previous study that examined the relationships between gender, Internet use, Internet self-efficacy and depression (Lim & Yun, 2004), this study works on a suggestion pointed out by the authors that gender can be measured as psychological gender rather than a dichotomous variable. Implications, limitations and directions for future studies are discussed.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: In cooperation with the Chicago Police Department, the University of Illinois at Chicago conducted a randomized experiment in fifty-one Chicago police beats that combined citizen completion of web-based surveys on a broad array of public safety issues with feedback of survey results both through the Internet and at monthly police-citizen meetings (CAPS) as a means to enhance police-community communication, problem solving skills, and public attitudes toward the police. This presentation will report on the impact of survey feedback on CAPS participants, as well as discuss obstacles to implementation.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: From beginnings in the late 1960's, Internet has develop to the substantial presence we know today. Data gathering techniques for Internet access logs have been discussed as influenced by the experience of Internet pioneers with BBS such as the Wildcat BBS from Mustang Software Inc. The importance of visitor sessions in Internet access data collection still imagines the transition from BBS to Internet. The reasoning of the I T and network experts who began Internet still remains important in deciding if Internet is succeeding in realizing the social utility originally envisioned.