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Avatar-mediated communication (AMC), commonly used in online environments such as games and the emerging metaverse, is different from traditional computer-mediated communication in that it is a human-object-object-human relationship mediated by the individual's avatar and the avatar of the person with whom they are communicating. We conceptualize AMC by using three key concepts: user-avatar identification (i.e., how a user perceives their avatar as themselves), avatar-avatar identification (i.e., how a user perceives their avatar as part of a community of avatars), and social presence (i.e., how a user perceives the other avatar as a representation of the other person). We tested this model using 778 individuals who responded to three waves of data collection. The results show that the three factors of AMC influence users' social identification with their community and strengthen its impact on loyalty. From a theoretical perspective, our research adds two novel constructs—user–avatar identification and avatar–avatar identification—that play key roles in AMC in addition to the well-known effects of social presence. From a practical perspective, our research helps developers better design online games and virtual worlds such as the metaverse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpersonal mediated communication research has demonstrated that exchanging cues during online interactions can change message receivers’ perception of the senders in socially desirable ways. Building from previous self-transformative work, this work explores how perceptions of others are also shaped by the messages we write evaluating others. More specifically, the research examines the effects of sending different types of evaluative messages on attitude, social attraction, physical attraction, and task attraction toward a hypothetical CMC partner. The first experiment (N = 193) prompted participants to view a post of a video game player and then provide a confirmatory or disconfirmatory evaluation or no evaluation. Results indicated that providing positive evaluations caused a positive change in attitude toward the target, while providing negative evaluations negatively affected attitude but did not necessarily affect social, task, or physical attraction. The second experiment (N = 129) conceptually replicated the first experiment’s design in the context of an Instagram post. The results generally replicated those of the first study but additionally produced significant results on social attraction. Providing an evaluation caused significant changes in the receivers’ perception of attitude and social attraction, with the direction of change corresponding with the valence of the evaluations given to the target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated 48 Hong Kong English as a second language (ESL) learners’ engagement in three types of interactive tasks conducted via video chat or text chat. The learners, paired with their university friends, completed a descriptive task, a narrative task, and a decision-making task. They were randomly assigned to either the video-chat or text-chat group and were interviewed about their emotional engagement in each task immediately after task performance. The findings revealed that both groups of learners were behaviourally the least engaged but cognitively the most engaged in the decision-making task. They experienced positive emotions during the descriptive task, but fewer reported positive emotions in the other two tasks. The text-chat group was the most socially engaged in the decision-making task. Furthermore, the video-chat group was behaviourally and emotionally more engaged than the text-chat group. These findings have implications for task design and selection in computer-mediated communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with the fee reduction of a contract doctor due to a lack of connection to the telematics infrastructure. The obligation to connect to the TI is considered appropriate and not as a disproportionate restriction of the medical professional freedom. The data processing during the execution of the insured person master data comparison by contract doctors complies with the requirements of the GDPR. A revision against the fee reduction was dismissed as unfounded, and the differential cost regulation according to § 106b para. 2a SGB V applies only to uneconomical prescriptions. [Extracted from the article]

The papers in this Special Issue show that virtual teamwork is a complex phenomenon that depends on a multiplicity of team, task, and environmental factors. In this editorial, we begin with a short review of the main perspectives through which virtual teams have been studied. From there, we move to an overview of the papers in this Special Issue. To conclude, we discuss potential avenues for future research based on the collection of papers in this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The availability of many variables with predictive power makes their selection in a regression context difficult. This study considers robust and understandable low-dimensional estimators as building blocks to improve overall predictive power by optimally combining these building blocks. Our new algorithm is based on generalized cross-validation and builds a predictive model step-by-step from a simple mean to more complex predictive combinations. Empirical applications to annual financial returns and actuarial telematics data show its usefulness in the financial and insurance industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the popularity of computer-mediated communication, accessing online social support has become more accessible for women confronting infertility, yet the role of such support for Chinese women remains understudied. This study investigates the online social support experiences of Chinese women navigating infertility within the framework of Cutrona and Suhr’s social support. Employing netnography and semi-structured interviews alongside thematic analysis, the findings highlight challenges in informational support due to limitations in online information dissemination, with some degree of overlap observed between informational support and network support. Emotional support proves crucial and esteem support aids in mitigating self-blame among online forum members. Tangible assistance primarily involves expressed willingness to help. This research advances social support theory by exploring new areas, clarifying online support mechanisms using Daena Goldsmith’s normative approach, highlighting sociocultural influences, and enhancing understanding of esteem support in the context of stigmatization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: For many years, the most common way of moving freight has been road transport. In order to ensure optimum quality of transport services in Poland, modern telematics solutions have begun to play a key role. The answer to the needs of the dynamically changing transport market is the use of telematics. Customers are expecting increasingly personalised services from road transport companies that provide continuous monitoring of how their orders are being carried out. Thanks to the variety of telematics devices, companies are able to choose from a wide range of solutions tailored to their needs. The aim of this article is to present the impact of the environment and the use of telematics on road transport safety. When analysing the use of telematics systems in road transport companies, particular attention should be paid to the technical condition of the vehicle, the condition of the road infrastructure, surrounding environment and accessibility of the road, as well as the behaviour of road users. Design/methodology/approach: In order to address the question stated in the purpose of the article, a survey was conducted among the employees of the transport companies under study. The results of the analyses look into the effectiveness of the implementation of telematics solutions in transport companies. Findings: Based on the data collected, the analysis will enable the results to be presented in terms of the effectiveness of the implementation of telematics solutions in the selected transport companies. Practical implications: The results of the research provide pragmatic guidance for managers, on the basis of which guidelines and indications can be drawn up for changing or extending the use of telematics systems. Value: It is an original research that can be used on its own or simultaneously with other research methods to solve a specific problem. It can be very interesting to confront the results of a specific research problem, obtained by using several research methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication, an essential aspect of human existence, has undergone a transformation with the advent of media, progressing from traditional to digital platforms in what is commonly referred to as the "Second Media Age." Within this context, computer-mediated communication (CMC) has introduced emojis as substitutes for nonverbal cues. However, the misuse of emojis may result in legal repercussions, as evidenced by documented cases. This study seeks to examine the understanding of specific emojis among the students at Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri, with the objective of contributing to the comprehension of this phenomenon and raising awareness of the potential legal implications. Utilizing the theoretical framework of Symbolic Interactionism, this study explores the diverse interpretations of emojis, while considering cultural nuances and discrepancies across platforms. The findings underscore the importance of being cognizant of the context in which emojis are employed in order to prevent misunderstandings. As emojis continue to shape the landscape of digital communication, it is crucial to consider their legal implications and strive for effective and responsible communication in the digital age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to reveal in an interpretive way how computer-mediated communication, the Internet, and social media can be grasped by authority models and how these new types of authority influence religious communities that are (also) present on online platforms. In some cases, computer-mediated communication weakened and made traditional church authorities porous, but in other cases, it specifically helped and strengthened them. In other words, the impact of digital media is not uniform or unidirectional in this respect. Although there is no doubt that the Internet has multiplied it, made it optional, and personalized it from the user's point of view, it has made religious authority customizable. The power of choice means that, in the digital sphere, the user decides when, what form of network authority they will submit to, for how long, and why they do so. In the classics of the sociology of religion, the concept of authority appears in a hierarchical representation under the concepts of (social) order and rationality. In other words, it cannot be thought of in a way that is contrary to rationality and contrary to social order. In network communication, the concept of authority is subordinated to technology, or as Castells puts it, power can only be interpreted with the logic of the network. Of course, the technological network and its contents are under external (legal) control, but it is precisely the power of the symbolic struggles taking place here that shows how important this issue is in the 21st century. The concept of authority classified under technology will no longer be linked to order or rationality, but to the processes of control, datafication, and attention management on the part of the owners of the platforms, while from the users' side to concepts such as identity, authenticity, choice, and voluntariness. Its boundaries will be malleable, and the phenomenon itself will multiply. In summary, we cannot talk about one single online religious authority but more types of religious authorities, which are continuously and discursively formed, change, and occasionally hybridize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Almost half of all U.S. employees have experienced some form of workplace bullying. Stress and decreased job satisfaction are just some of the negative impacts victims or bystanders of workplace bullying can undergo. With the increased use of computer-mediated communication and social media, workplace cyberbullying is a concern in addition to face-to-face workplace bullying. The current study explored decisions to disclose workplace cyberbullying from a communication privacy management perspective. Quantitative results from 185 participants show the contextual criteria of important reason and conversational appropriateness to predict the depth of workplace cyberbullying disclosures and important reason to predict the breadth of disclosures. Qualitative results show factors that influenced concealment of workplace cyberbullying include fear of potential negative outcomes, lack of trust, and unwelcome culture, whereas factors that influenced disclosure of workplace cyberbullying included an open and safe space, impact of cyberbullying, the 'greater good effect,' and confidence in the situation improving. Results of this study can assist organizations and leaders in creating environments and trainings that encourage employees to disclose workplace cyberbullying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Dokuz Eylul University Muhendislik Faculty of Engineering Journal of Science & Engineering / Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Mühendislik Fakültesi Fen ve Mühendislik Dergisi is the property of Dokuz Eylul Universitesi Muhendislik Fakultesi Fen ve Muhendislik Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study tackles hashtags as framing devices which shape public arguments and controversies in computer-mediated communication environments. It focuses on the use of the genocide hashtag on Twitter in the context of the Ukraine-Russia war. It proposes and showcases a methodology to surface how the semantic and discourse properties of the term genocide affect its framing properties as a hashtag which bears argumentative functions, directly or indirectly calling for action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term "computer-mediated communication" (CMC) describes the transmission of messages and information using computer technology. With the extensive use of email, instant messaging, social media, and other digital platforms in Nepal in recent years, this style of communication has grown in popularity. The article examines how computer-mediated communication (CMC) and artificial intelligence (AI) have grown in significance in Nepal's undergrad English education. This article allows students to collaborate on projects and tasks, which improves their learning experience, by examining the potential of AI and CMC. The facts of Nepal's education have been examined using the four different basic literature reviews. Despite the need for further literature on artificial intelligence and computer-mediated communication in Nepal's English classes for undergrads between 2018 and 2023, the studies reviewed shed light on the possibilities of technology and AI in language acquisition. Undergraduate class observation, self-administered text analysis, social information processing theory and experimental research, which involves adjusting variables to see how they affect learning results, were used to gather data. The study's findings also demonstrate how using CMC platforms encourages students to practice their digital literacy. They gain knowledge on how to move through online spaces, efficiently communicate with a variety of digital tools, and assess the reliability of information sources. Students can communicate with their teachers outside of the classroom via video conferencing software and online discussion boards. This may result in more in-depth discussions and debates as well as greater student engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As automotive technology advances in the realm of digitization, vehicles are becoming smarter and, at the same time, more vulnerable to various threats. This paper focuses on techniques for detecting faults to mitigate the risk of freight transportation. Our observations show that vehicle uptime varies significantly even under similar operating conditions. This variation stems from differences in the wear and tear of moving and stationary parts, the characteristics of transported loads, driving styles, the quality of maintenance, etc. These factors are particularly crucial for abnormal vehicles designed to carry AILs (Abnormal Indivisible Loads). Such vehicles are especially prone to surprising threats, requiring efficient techniques for monitoring separate vehicle components and providing drivers with vital information about their operational status. The presented article proposes an original concept of an integrated three-level monitoring system based on the AOP (All-in-One Platform) principle, using the DBSCAN (Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise) algorithm, which is a tool oriented to distinguish points from three categories: basic, boundary, and external. This is a solution not yet found in the literature. It is based on assessments of LOFs (Local Outlier Factors) and to detect anomalies in the measured values of operational parameters. The purpose of our study was to determine whether providing truck drivers with current information from an active threat warning system could help reduce unplanned downtimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The online landscape has shifted since the rise of smartphones and social media in the 2010s and altered the way children use technologies. Along with a reliance on computer-mediated communication (CMC) is the concern of online child sexual exploitation (OCSE). This scoping review provided an updated examination of the prevalence, risk factors, outcomes, and disclosures of OCSE since 2010. Systematic searches were conducted using three databases for studies published between January 2010 and January 2023. Results indicated an alarming prevalence of, and a wide range of risk factors and consequences associated with OCSE worldwide. Many young victims struggled to recognize OCSE as a serious form of abuse. The need to monitor the ever-changing Internet landscape for young users is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of computer‐mediated communication has resulted in a new form of written text called Microtext, which is very different from well‐written text. Most previous approaches deal with microtext at the character level rather than just words resulting in increased processing time. In this paper, we propose to transform static word vectors to dynamic form by modelling the effect of neighbouring words and their sentiment strength in the AffectiveSpace. To evaluate the approach, we crawled Tweets from diverse topics and human annotation was used to label their sentiments. We also normalized the tweets to fix phonetic variations, spelling errors, and abbreviations manually. A total of 1432 out‐of‐vocabulary (OOV) texts and their IV texts made it to the final corpus with their corresponding polarity. To assess the quality of the corpus, we used several OOV classifiers such as linear regression and observed over 90% accuracy. Next, we inferred word vectors using a novel four‐gram model based on sentiment intensity and reported accuracy on both open domain and closed domain sentiment classifiers. We observed an improvement in the range of 4–20 on Twitter, Movie and Airline reviews over baselines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines linguaculturally diverse university students' affective translingual practices of using emojis and languages in computer-mediated communication. Research studies have investigated the sociopragmatic uses of emojis from the perspectives of social semiotics, language socialisation, and translingual practices. This study expands on these perspectives and further adopts enregisterment as a conceptual framework to explore the emergence of emoji variations and other affective expressions in online discussions about news and social media content. The primary data were collected from written discourses on Facebook across 8 weeks and through follow-up data-focused interviews. The results present the multilingual participants' metapragmatic commentaries on particular uses of face emojis in relation to emotive discourses, enregistered voices, and embodied contextualisation. The results exemplify the multimodal enregisterment of affective translingual practices through which emoji users' playful performances can be recognised and enacted in online socialisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores whether and in what situation the smiling face emoji will influence the interpretation of an utterance in a virtual context. The researchers drew examples from daily WeChat communication and posted them to participants in the experiment. Experimental studies found that the smiling face emoji decreases the politeness of an utterance but does not mitigate the illocutionary force of an impolite utterance. Further studies demonstrate that the interpretation is related to two features of WeChat: the interactant's identity (age) and the situation of communication. For one thing, utterances with smiling face emoji may be interpreted as disrespectful by younger Chinese rather than the older. For another, the smiling face emoji is always interpreted as impolite when the utterances are related to the interactants' feelings. We also infer from the findings that older people might respect the feelings of the addresser more than younger people in WeChat communication. This paper will help avoid miscommunication and contribute to understanding the socio-cultural features of interpersonal interaction in a virtual context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As racial and ethnic diversity have increased in America, prejudice too has expanded. Citizens are more wary of immigrants, with attitudes toward Asian immigrants in particular worsening during COVID-19. Yet less is known about the prejudice directed at other immigrant groups during this period, with research suggesting that feeling capable of interacting with new people could reduce misgivings about diversity. A web survey was conducted in April of 2020 to test the potential for digital and physical social competence to improve attitudes toward Mexican immigrants, as the largest immigrant group in the United States (N = 665). Interpersonal competence was inversely associated with prejudice toward Mexican immigrants, with interpersonal skills such as attentiveness, expressiveness, and mindfulness being especially valuable for prejudice reduction. Computer-mediated communication competence was indirectly associated with feeling less prejudiced, through interpersonal competence, and social presence also moderated the conversion of CMC competence into interpersonal competence, diminishing prejudice even further. Digital social capabilities encourage admiration and sympathy for immigrants by making users feel more capable of interacting with them locally. Networked settings now have the potential to train dissimilar users to interact together in person, as a way of reducing prejudice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes an approach of leveraging information gathered from multiple traffic data sources at different resolutions to obtain approximate inference on the traffic distribution of Chicago's O'Hare Airport area. Specifically, it proposes the ingestion of traffic datasets at different resolutions to build spatiotemporal models for predicting the distribution of traffic volume on the road network. Due to its good adaptability and flexibility for spatiotemporal data, the Gaussian process (GP) regression was employed to provide short-term forecasts using data collected by loop detectors (sensors) and supplemented by telematics data. The GP regression is used to make predictions of the distribution of the proportion of sensor data traffic volume represented by the telematics data for each location of the sensors. Consequently, the fitted GP model can be used to determine the approximate traffic distribution for a testing location outside of the training points. Policymakers in the transportation sector can find the results of this work helpful for making informed decisions relating to current and future transportation conditions in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In current research on task offloading and resource scheduling in vehicular networks, vehicles are commonly assumed to maintain constant speed or relatively stationary states, and the impact of speed variations on task offloading is often overlooked. It is frequently assumed that vehicles can be accurately modeled during actual motion processes. However, in vehicular dynamic environments, both the tasks generated by the vehicles and the vehicles' surroundings are constantly changing, making it difficult to achieve real-time modeling for actual dynamic vehicular network scenarios. Taking into account the actual dynamic vehicular scenarios, this paper considers the real-time non-uniform movement of vehicles and proposes a vehicular task dynamic offloading and scheduling algorithm for single-task multi-vehicle vehicular network scenarios, attempting to solve the dynamic decision-making problem in task offloading process. The optimization objective is to minimize the average task completion time, which is formulated as a multi-constrained non-linear programming problem. Due to the mobility of vehicles, a constraint model is applied in the decision-making process to dynamically determine whether the communication range is sufficient for task offloading and transmission. Finally, the proposed vehicular task dynamic offloading and scheduling algorithm based on muti-agent deep deterministic policy gradient (MADDPG) is applied to solve the optimal solution of the optimization problem. Simulation results show that the algorithm proposed in this paper is able to achieve lower latency task computation offloading. Meanwhile, the average task completion time of the proposed algorithm in this paper can be improved by 7.6% compared to the performance of the MADDPG scheme and 51.1% compared to the performance of deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The availability of many variables with predictive power makes their selection in a regression context difficult. This study considers robust and understandable low-dimensional estimators as building blocks to improve overall predictive power by optimally combining these building blocks. Our new algorithm is based on generalized cross-validation and builds a predictive model step-by-step from a simple mean to more complex predictive combinations. Empirical applications to annual financial returns and actuarial telematics data show its usefulness in the financial and insurance industries.

The use of text chat in synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) could help remedy the widely reported lack of active involvement in online language learning. However, the nuances and complexities of learners' text-chat actions warrant further examination. This exploratory study used observational data collected from 40 students in a graduate-level Academic English course at eight time points across a semester to analyze the functions of text-chat interaction in an SCMC setting and to capture how their text chat changed over time. This led to the identification of five functions of text-chat interaction (i.e. cognition, metacognition, socio-affect, organization, and technology), suggesting that cognitively meaningful learning occurred immediately through such interaction. Over time, there was a decline in the quantity of text-chat interactions. In addition, the patterns of chat between students and the teacher were somewhat different from those observed among students. In the former case, text quantity diminished, especially in the category of cognition; but in the latter, students engaged in more text chat with their peers to show affect, cognitive agreement, and disagreement over time. The study's findings regarding the complex dynamics of an authentic process in SCMC language classrooms have considerable practical value in facilitating interaction in similar language-learning contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies on web-based collaborative writing have shown that task modality impacts peer interaction patterns and attention to form. However, these studies have primarily focused on contrasting a face-to-face oral condition with a text-based synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) environment. Few studies have compared peer interaction patterns and attention to form between text-based SCMC and text-based asynchronous computer-mediated communication (ACMC), the two common modes of computer-mediated communication. This study aimed at filling this research gap. Participants were 22 EFL learners who worked in self-selected pairs to complete two L2 collaborative writing tasks, one through text-based SCMC and the other text-based ACMC, using Google Docs. Patterns of interaction for each pair within each task mode were identified. Attention to form was measured through language-related episodes (LREs). Quality of attention to form was assessed via learners' LRE engagement levels. The results show that task modality affected the occurrence but it did not affect the focus and outcome of LREs. Task modality, however, impacted peer interaction patterns and quality of attention to form, with more collaborative pair dynamics and elaborate LRE engagement being generated in text-based SCMC tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Usage-based Insurance (UBI) is an innovation that differs from traditional car insurance and seeks to distinguish between high-risk and low-risk drivers. The premium in this policy is calculated based on the distance traveled and telematics variables such as road type, time, speed, etc. This study measured the UBI acceptance rate and the factors that influence it. Global surveys and expert opinions were used to design a questionnaire, which was then administered to 396 randomly selected respondents, meeting the requirements of Cochran's formula for indeterminate populations (at least 384). Multinomial and binary logistic regression models were employed to measure acceptance and the willingness to purchase UBI based on distance, as well as distance and driving behaviors. These investigations were carried out across five and three scenarios, respectively, considering value-added services, awareness levels, and the importance of factors. Finally, a confirmatory factor analysis model was utilized to validate the UBI acceptance model, with the indicators affirming its appropriateness. The findings suggest the need for plans to enhance the information and awareness levels of insurance policyholders regarding UBI. Additionally, variables such as providing warnings to policyholders to improve driving, policy price, awareness of UBI, awareness of providing UBIs by some insurance companies in Iran, and providing rewards/discounts are identified as influential in driving UBI purchases, warranting investment by insurance companies to boost sales.

The pervasive use of synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) in second language (L2) learning has generated increasing interest among researchers in integrating SCMC with task-based language teaching (TBLT). This study examined the effects of task complexity on Chinese EFL learners' language production in SCMC modality to develop optimal tasks that facilitate the learning of English in SCMC environments. Eighty-four intermediate Chinese EFL learners completed two interactive tasks (simple and complex) in dyads via text-based or video-based SCMC. Their English productions were transcribed and coded in terms of syntactic complexity, lexical complexity and accuracy for statistical analyses. The results indicated that increasing task complexity elicited significantly lower syntactic complexity in text-based SCMC, but without significant effects on syntactic complexity in video-based SCMC. Significantly higher lexical complexity and unaffected accuracy were observed in both SCMC modes as a result of an increase in task complexity. Regarding SCMC modality, text-based SCMC resulted in significantly lower syntactic complexity, but significantly higher lexical complexity and accuracy than video-based SCMC. Plain language summary: Effects of Simple and Complex Tasks on Chinese Students' English Language Production when conducted using Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication Platform The purpose of this study is to find out the effects that simple and complex tasks have on Chinese students' English language production when conducted using synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) platform that enables text-based and video-based interaction. Eighty-four intermediate Chinese EFL learners completed the simple and complex tasks in pairs via text-based or video-based SCMC. The students' interactions were transcribed and analyzed for their complexity in terms of sentence structure and choice of words, and grammatical accuracy. The results revealed that increasing the complexity of tasks led to a significantly lower complexity of the students' sentence structure in text-based SCMC but no significant effect in video-based SCMC. Furthermore, it also led to a significantly higher complexity of choice of words and no change in terms of grammatical accuracy for both the text-based and video-based SCMC. When comparing between text-based with video-based SCMC, it was found that text-based SCMC resulted in significantly lower complexity of sentence structure but significantly higher complexity on their choice of words and grammatical accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological advances have changed the way humans interact and make it easier for humans to make buying and selling transactions, but behind the positive side of technology, of course, there is a negative side that can be detrimental. One of the cases that is rampant on social media (Twitter) is concert ticket fraud. The goal of the study was to identify the communication patterns that scammers engage in when selling concert tickets and understand how a person can become a victim of online fraud through the social media platform Twitter. Seven key informants of this research are victims of fraudulent ticket purchases for NCT 127 concert "The Unity Jakarta" on Twitter. The research method used is qualitative descriptive with data sources through interviews with 7 informants and observation through the Twitter accounts of the informants. This study uses the theory of Computer Mediated Communication (CMC). Based on the results of the research, the communication pattern that occurs is that fraudsters use evidence in the form of e-tickets as collateral and an excuse to sell tickets under the pretext of having excess tickets to attract the attention of victims who are in need of concert tickets. The findings indicate that the victim made a hasty purchase of concert tickets without considering the negative consequences, known as impulse buying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emoji appear to be an important cue to judge whether a statement is sarcastic in computer-mediated communication. In this study, we investigated whether the smiling emoji, an indicator of sarcastic intention in the Chinese culture, exerts an influence on sarcasm interpretation across the lifespan. Statements accompanied with or without a smiling emoji were compared in unambiguous (Experiment 1) and ambiguous (Experiment 2) contexts. The results of Experiment 1 illustrated that for teenagers and the 20-year-olds the smiling emoji enhanced the perceived sarcasm of sarcastic statements significantly. However, there was no difference in interpreting sarcastic statements with or without a smiling emoji in other age groups. Experiment 2 replicated the results of Experiment 1. We found both teenagers and the 20-year-olds were more likely to arrive at a sarcastic interpretation of the ambiguous statement followed by a smiling emoji, which were less frequent in participants aged in their 30s, 40s, 50s and individuals over 60 years old. This might be because people of varying ages differ in decoding the emotions of the emoji. Age-related differences in the use of sarcasm and participants' experiences with using emoji might be possible factors that were closely related to the interpretation of emoji-based sarcasm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: The Covid-19 pandemic potentially increased loneliness among older Chinese migrants. There is a paucity of literature on the use of digital technology by this older population in Aotearoa New Zealand. Computer-mediated communication may assist in ameliorating loneliness through maintaining connections. METHOD: Using semi-structured interviews, two groups of participants were recruited from a social work agency serving older adults in a small study conducted in Aotearoa New Zealand. Three community social workers who work with this population were interviewed along with five older Chinese migrants. FINDINGS: Community social workers recognised the potential for digital technology to enhance connectedness for older migrants, although they were concerned by the barriers posed by skills, confidence, and language. The older migrants did not report loneliness and reported good social connections. Having time available to learn new skills, most older participants embraced digital technology, with some concerns about the possible risks of using digital platforms, a concern shared by social workers. IMPLICATIONS: The impact of Covid-19 globally changed how people could interact with one another and carry out daily routines. This small study confirms the potential for enhanced connections for older migrants, particularly under pandemic conditions utilising communications technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speech acts in CMC (Computer Mediated Communication) have been receiving increasing attention in recent years. This study attempted to make a cross-cultural comparison of Chinese and American online complaints of restaurants from the perspective of speech act structure in relation to face management. In spite of likeness in the general taxonomy of retrospective and prospective speech acts between the two corpora, addressivity appeared to be a strong factor affecting how face was managed in the specific construction of complaints as speech act sets in the Chinese data set, while such a discrepancy was absent from the American reviews where the face of restaurants and fellow consumers was not handled with much distinction and discretion. These findings in terms of the level of sensitivity and adaptation to the context seem to imply that the generally-recognized distinction of high-context vs. low-context between the two cultures is also manifested in online reviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bullet-screen function is frequently used by individuals when watching online videos. It can enhance the viewers' sense of belonging to the bullet screen group and reduce their feelings of loneliness while watching online videos. However, the deindividuation phenomenon often occurs on the network platform with user interaction functions. As a popular interactive video technology, it is unclear whether the bullet-screen engagement in videos will affect the viewers' deindividualized online behavior. Based on the theory of computer-mediated communication and the social identity model of deindividuation effects, this study explored the relationship between bullet-screen engagement and deindividualized online behavior, and the role of sense of belonging and loneliness between them. A total of 511 college students in China (M = 21.53, SD = 2.02, 45.4% males) were investigated with The Bullet-screen Engagement Questionnaire, The Sense of Belonging Instrument, The Loneliness Scale, and The Bullet-screen Environment Deindividualized Online Behavior Questionnaire. Sequential chain mediation model was built by the macro program PROCESS in SPSS. The model showed that (1) bullet-screen engagement positively predicted deindividualized online behavior; (2) The sense of belonging and loneliness mediated the relationship between bullet-screen engagement and deindividualized online behavior respectively; (3) The sequential chain mediation showed an indirect path (bullet-screen engagement – sense of belonging – loneliness – deindividualized online behavior). Bullet-screen engagement in videos can enhance viewers' sense of belonging and reduce loneliness, by which can also lead to deindividualized online behavior. Therefore, it is also crucial to pay attention to the negative effects of bullet-screen engagement in video. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses the phenomenon of Netspeak reductions with special reference to Mandarin computer-mediated communication. A tentative classification of Chinese Netspeak reductions is first provided, namely, two-, three-, or four-character reductions occurring at both the lexical and the syntactic levels and other atypical reductions. It is then proposed that Zipf's Principle of Least Effort, which usually works at the lexical level, can work as well at the utterance level and can account for the increasing number of Netspeak reductions in daily communication, that is, the frequency of using Netspeak reduction determines its vitality and distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyanobacterial blooms (CBs) present significant challenges to Chinese mitten crab (CMC) culture, posing hazards to the aquatic microbial ecology. However, the current focus on the microbial ecological changes within the CMC culture system under the influence of CBs is somewhat insufficient. There's an urgent need to analyze the microbial ecosystem of the CMC culture system under CBs. This study employed 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to investigate the dynamics of the environmental microbial community in both the rice-crab co-culture (RC) and crab monoculture (CM) models. The results revealed that cyanobacteria reached high levels in the CM water in July, while they began to increase in the RC water in August. Notably, OTU147 (uncultured bacterium g_Planktothrix NIVA-CYA 15), identified as the dominant taxon associated with CBs, showed a significant linear relationship with TP, NO2 --N, and the N:P ratio. TP, TN, NO2 --N, and CODMn had a more pronounced impact on the structure of bacterial communities and cyanobacterial taxa in the water. The bacterial community structure involved in carbon metabolism displayed temporal succession in the water. The co-occurrence network of the bacterial community primarily consisted of Chloroflexi, Proteobacteria, and Firnicutes in the sediment, and Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Bacteroidota in the water. In contrast, the co-occurrence network included different peripheral species in the sediment and water. Keystone species were predominantly represented by OTU22 (uncultured actinobacterium g_ hgcI clade) and OTU12 (uncultured Opitutae bacterium g_ norank) in the RC water, and by OTU25 (uncultured bacterium g_ Limnohabitans) in the CM water. TP, TN, NO2 --N, and CODMn were identified as the primary environmental factors influencing these keystone taxa within the culture water. In conclusion, this study on the microbial ecology of the CMC culture system under the influence of CBs provides valuable insights that can be instrumental in subsequent management efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comments generated by users of online music streaming platforms have become an under-researched digital genre. We explore this field by analyzing the intensification devices of comments generated by the Spanish new generation singer Álvaro Soler’s Chinese fans. Based on a corpus composed of 1,646 comments collected from Netease Cloud Music and following a “coding and counting” approach, this article examines the usage of intensification strategies in these reviews and the most emphasized topics. Results from this study will reveal how Chinese fans use this pragmatic strategy to express emotions. In addition, their enthusiasm and interest are not limited to the star, but also extend to some linguistic and sociocultural aspects. This work provides an interesting contribution to the study of intensification, and shows Chinese teenagers’ perception of Spanish popular culture from a particular and innovative perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peer-to-peer sharing platforms become increasingly important in the platform economy. From an HCI-perspective, this development is of high interest, as those platforms mediate between different users. Such mediation entails dealing with various social issues, e.g., building trust between peers online without any physical presence. Peer ratings have proven to be an important mechanism in this regard. At the same time, scoring via car telematics become more common for risk assessment by car insurances. Since user ratings face crucial problems such as fake or biased ratings, we conducted a design case study to determine whether algorithm-based scoring has the potential to improve trust-building in P2P-carsharing. We started with 16 problem-centered interviews to examine how people understand algorithm-based scoring, we co-designed an app with scored profiles, and finally evaluated it with 12 participants. Our findings show that scoring systems can support trust-building in P2P-carsharing and give insights how they should be designed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Video-based therapy has been used increasingly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, video-based initial psychotherapeutic contact can be problematic due to the limitations of computer-mediated communication. At present, little is known about the effects of video first contact on important psychotherapeutic processes. Method: Forty-three individuals (nvideo = 18, nface-to-face = 25) were recruited via an outpatient clinic waiting list and were randomly assigned to video or face-to-face initial psychotherapeutic sessions. Participants rated treatment expectancy before and after the session, and the therapist's empathy, working alliance, and credibility after the session and several days later. Results: Empathy and working alliance ratings of patients and therapists were high and did not differ between the two communication conditions after the appointment or at follow-up. Treatment expectancy increased to a similar extent for the video and face-to-face modalities from pre to post. Willingness to continue with video-based therapy increased in participants who had video contact, but not in those with face-to-face contact. Conclusion: This study indicates that crucial processes related to the therapeutic relationship can be initiated via video, without prior face-to-face contact. Given the limited nonverbal communication cues in video appointments, it remains unclear as to how such processes evolve. Trial registration: German Clinical Trials Register identifier: DRKS00031262.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Existing data on prevalence of driver cellphone use have methodological limitations. • Our study showed how telematics may be used to study prevalence of driver cellphone use. • Patterns of prevalence of cellphone use from telematics matched those from roadside observations. • Telematics data can be useful for identifying factors that influence cellphone use (e.g., laws). Introduction: Driver distraction from handheld cellphone use contributes to fatal crashes every year but is underreported in terms of the proportion of crashes attributed to any distraction or cellphone use specifically. Existing methods to estimate the prevalence of cellphone distractions are also limited (e.g., observing drivers stopped at intersections, when crash risk is low). Our study used data from Cambridge Mobile Telematics to estimate the prevalence of drivers' handheld calls and cellphone manipulation while driving, with "cellphone motion" based on movement recorded by the phones' gyroscopes used as a surrogate for manipulation. Method: We compared the telematics measures with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's roadside observations of driver electronic device use, and logistic regression tested relationships between regional, legislative, and temporal factors and the odds of cellphone behaviors occurring on a trip or at a given point in time. Results: Results showed 3.5% of trips included at least one handheld phone call and 33.3% included at least an instance of cellphone motion, with handheld calls occurring during 0.78% of overall trip duration and cellphone motion during 2.4% of trip duration. Conclusions: Correspondence between trends in cellphone distractions across regional, legislative, and temporal factors suggest telematics data have considerable utility and appear to complement existing datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the emergence of social media in the early 2000’s, innovative educators have sought ways to utilise, adapt, and maximise the opportunities for learning within social networking and collaborative online spaces. The purpose of this systematic review is to analyse the work published on social media for learning in the Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice (JUTLP) over the 20-year life of the journal to date. We summarise the current evidence on the use of social media for learning and document how the field has evolved and changed since its emergence as a pedagogical theme. We explore themes for the use of social media for learning, key challenges, how the use of social media has changed over time, and we look at specific types of papers that contribute to the original research on social media for learning. We achieved this through a systematic review 3-step process: 1) scoping and understanding the review context and research questions, 2) undertaking methods using an established approach for a systematic and quality assessment of the literature, and 3) undertaking a thorough thematic analysis of the empirical evidence from the systematic review papers to provide meaningful outcomes and recommendations. This robust approach resulted in the analysis of 11 papers and exploration of 4 key themes: Computer mediated communication, digital capabilities, and confidence, learning community, and social media pedagogy. Finally, we make recommendations that aim to benefit both editors and authors of JUTLP, and editors and authors more generally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to understand the impact of computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools on journalism in Vietnam by employing a quantitative-methods approach influenced by Social Presence Theory, Media Richness Theory, and Uses and Gratifications Theory. A quantitative survey was conducted with 335 journalists and other stakeholders in newsrooms. The results indicated that social presence significantly affects the adoption and efficacy of CMC tools in this unique cultural context. The study extended the Media Richness Theory by adding a cross-cultural dimension, and the Uses and Gratifications Theory sheds light on the motivations behind tool adoption. This research contributed to theory by adapting established frameworks to a new cultural environment and offers practical guidelines for media organizations in Vietnam undergoing digital transformation. Future research should explore interdisciplinary frameworks incorporating cultural, technological, and psychological factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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During face-to-face interactions, social anxiety involves an intense fear which precipitates impaired communication and avoidance. Social media provides an alternate, potentially less anxiety-provoking communication venue. The relationship between social anxiety and social media is unclear. Prior reviews focused on the relationship between one of these terms (i.e. social anxiety or social media use) and a broader category (i.e. psychological well-being, computer-mediated communication). These earlier reviews found inconclusive results perhaps due to the paucity of studies available that examined the specific relationship between social anxiety and social media use. Given an uptick in research on this specific relationship in the past five years, the current study synthesized and analyzed 27 independent study samples that met inclusion criteria (Total N = 38,163). Using a random-effects model, we found a significant positive relationship between social media use and social anxiety (r =.14). Moderation analyses indicated smaller positive effect sizes for studies with adolescent-only samples, White-majority samples, North American samples, and less reliable measures of social media use. Since social media may provide affordances and risks that depend on each mental health challenge, we need more social media usage studies and reviews with results specified by challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of driving behavior and vehicle dynamics using telematics technology paves the way for current insurance underwriting and disruptions in automobile insurance. This study aims to understand the behavioral intentions of actual users toward adopting telematics-based insurance products. Relevant constructs from extant literature were combined with the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to improve its explanatory power and identify meaningful linkages among the variables. A cross-sectional design with a quantitative survey examined how individuals perceived insurance telematics technology. The results suggest that the modified TAM fits the data well. The constructs explain the high variability in the behavioral intentions of telematics users. The results indicate that two-thirds of the respondents were willing to change their driving style towards safer and more balanced driving if they could reduce their car insurance premiums. Telematics-based motor insurance represents a radical shift in how motor insurance will work in the future. Apparently, this transition would cause dissonance among users. Insurers need to make this transition seamless for users to achieve scalability and profitability. The present study is one of the first in the Indian subcontinent to survey actual users of telematics-based insurance. It provides documented research on the development of behavioral intentions in Indian telematics-based insurance users using TAM or other prevalent technology acceptance models considering the mediating role of perceived usefulness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Admissibility of medical coercive measures in forensic psychiatry" deals with the legal aspects of medical coercive measures. It discusses when such measures are permissible and what requirements are placed on determining the attempt to convince the person concerned. It also addresses the personal liability of doctors. The article also mentions the integration of contracted doctors into the telematics infrastructure and the associated legal aspects. [Extracted from the article]