Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: This exploratory paper argues that the Internet can and does have impacts on the user’s personality. Extraversion, one trait from the Big Five personality model was examined here. The study surveyed 198 users and measured both online extraversion and offline extraversion. Online extraversion was significantly higher than offline extraversion. A structural model was built to explain the difference. Current data supported the hypotheses that online extraversion can be explained by offline extraversion, and online social support. Additionally, offline extraversion acted through online social self-efficacy. Online social self-efficacy also acted through online social outcome expectations to affect perceptions of online social support. Internet self-efficacy acted through online social self-efficacy and online social outcome expectations to affect online social support, which finally affected online extraversion.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Based on the growing attention to the Internet as a democratic medium and its contribution to online participatory journalism, this study examines a case of an interactive South Korean online newspaper, Ohmynews, as an emerging public sphere. The foci of the analysis include the newspaper’s discursive construction of journalism in South Korean context and the performance of the newspaper on the basis of the normative conditions of a public sphere.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: ABSTRACT

Online videos have been a central feature in discussions about the impact of user-driven Web 2.0 technologies. In the process of computer-mediated exchange, some of these video clips keep traveling from one person to another and are termed as “viral videos”. The continuous forwarding of these videos from one person to another begins the process of diffusion, growth and transmission of the video.
This paper is part of an exploratory study that aimed at gaining a better understanding of the individuals involved in viral videos integrating diffusion of innovations (Rogers, 2003) and strength of ties (Granovetter, 1973) theories. The objective was to distinguish between categories of audience by studying the activities they engage in with different video contents to be able to apply the results to advertising and marketing contexts. Based on diffusion of innovations literature, categories of audience and characteristics of the innovation - the video content in this case, were investigated. Two genres of video content were studied – entertainment and information.
A survey was administered to college students at an urban university. A series of discriminant analyses conducted to answer the research question indicate:
1) Entertainment genre is more appealing than information genre.
2) Individuals participating in the viral process are more interested in “watching entertainment” than “sharing entertainment”.
3) Information genre finds some acceptance with individuals who tend to engage in sharing the video.
Further analyses expand on the differences, in terms of content viewing and forwarding, which exist between categories of online video audience.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: With Communication Accommodation theory and Hofstede’s model of cultural dimensions as its main conceptual framework, this paper investigates the role of culture in online marketing communication. By exploring the attitudinal effects of culturally oriented online ads, we aim to develop and test a framework that marketing professionals can apply to reach out to ethnic consumers. Our findings indicate that culturally accommodative advertising can substantially improve communication in ethnically diverse online environment.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: This study extends the spiral of silence theory by taking into account the impact of new media on virtual behavior motivation. It examines individuals’ willingness to express opinions online and offline and tests how the constructs proposed by the spiral of silence theory work in each setting. Results of a survey (N=305) suggests when the likelihood of speaking out online increases, the likelihood of speaking out in a real setting also increases, and vice versa. Findings further explain that the congruency of future and current opinions with one’s own opinions predicts the willingness to speak out offline. Findings indicated that this congruency of future and current opinions might fail to work in the online setting, however. Furthermore, while fear of isolation predicted the willingness to speak out online, it did not affect offline outspokenness. Finally, there was a significant tendency to estimate the Internet to be more efficient than the traditional media in monitoring the climate of opinion.