Communication

Article Communication

Coping with global uncertainty: Perceptions of COVID-19 psychological distress, relationship quality, and dyadic coping for romantic partners across 27 countries

Ashley K. Randall, Gabriel Leon, Emanuele Basili, Tamas Martos, Michael Boiger, Michela Baldi, Lauren Hocker, Kai Kline, Alessio Masturzi, Richmond Aryeetey, Eran Bar-Kalifa, Susan D. Boon, Luis Botella, Tom Burke, Katherine Carnelley, Alan Carr, Arobindu Dash, Mimi Fitriana, Stanley O. Gaines, Sarah Galdiolo, Hart M. Claire, Susanna Joo, Barani Kanth, Evangelos Karademas, Gery Karantzas, Selina A. Landolt, Louise McHugh, Anne Milek, Eddie Murphy, Jean C. Natividade, Alda Portugal, Alvaro Quinones, Ana Paula Relvas, Pingkan C. B. Rumondor, Petruta Rusu, Viola Sallay, Luis Angel Saul, David P. Schmitt, Laura Sels, Sultan Shujja, Laura K. Taylor, S. Burcu Ozguluk, Leslie Verhofstadt, Gyesook Yoo, Martina Zemp, Silvia Donato, Casey J. Totenhagen, Rahel L. van Eickels, Emmanuel Anongeba Anaba, Sarah Beauchemin-Roy, Anna Berry, Audrey Brassard, Susan Chesterman, Lizzie Ferguson, Gabriela Fonseca, Justine Gaugue, Marie Geonet, Neele Hermesch, Laura Knox, Marie-France Lafontaine, Nicholas Lawless, Amanda Londero-Santos, Sofia Major, Tiago A. Marot, Ellie Mullins, Pauldy C. J. Otermans, Pagani F. Ariela, Miriam Parise, Roksana Parvin, Mallika De, Katherine Peloquin, Barbara Rebelo, Francesca Righetti, Daniel Romano, Sara Salavati, Steven Samrock, Mary Serea, Chua Bee Seok, Luciana Sotero, Owen Stafford, Christoforos Thomadakis, Cigdem Topcu-Uzer, Carla Ugarte, Low Wah Yun, Petra Simon-Zambori, Ching Sin Siau, Diana-Sinziana Duca, Cornelia Filip, Hayoung Park, Sinead Wearen, Guy Bodenmann, Claudia Chiarolanza

Summary: This study examined the impact of COVID-19 on individuals' psychological distress and relationship quality, finding that perceived partner dyadic coping plays an important role in moderating these associations. The study also identified interesting between-country variability in the results.

JOURNAL OF SOCIAL AND PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS (2022)

Article Communication

Affordances, movement dynamics, and a centralized digital communication platform in a networked movement

Francis L. F. Lee, Hai Liang, Edmund W. Cheng, Gary K. Y. Tang, Samson Yuen

Summary: This article examines how the online forum LIHKG became the central communication platform in the Anti-Extradition Bill Movement in Hong Kong, highlighting the affordances and movement dynamics that enable the forum to play its role. Empirical data from digital media and content analysis establishes the forum's prominence during the initial months of the movement, while analysis of protest onsite survey data shows the systematic relationship between LIHKG usage and various movement-related attitudes among protesters.

INFORMATION COMMUNICATION & SOCIETY (2022)

Article Communication

Deplatformization and the governance of the platform ecosystem

Jose Van Dijck, Tim de Winkel, Mirko Tobias Schafer

Summary: This article analyzes deplatformization as a governance strategy employed by major tech companies to eliminate radical content and enhance their control over the platform ecosystem. It examines different deplatformization strategies and raises questions about the responsibility for governing the ecosystem and the implications for Internet governance debates.

NEW MEDIA & SOCIETY (2023)

Review Communication

How diverse are the samples used to study intimate relationships? A systematic review

Hannah C. Williamson, Jerica X. Bornstein, Veronica Cantu, Oyku Ciftci, Krystan A. Farnish, Megan T. Schouweiler

Summary: The field of relationship science lacks diversity and inclusion, with focus often on a middle-class, college-educated, White, American individual in different-sex, same-race relationships. Studies on traditionally underrepresented groups are limited, highlighting the need for greater inclusivity in relationship science research.

JOURNAL OF SOCIAL AND PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS (2022)

Article Communication

Using a Personality-Profiling Algorithm to Investigate Political Microtargeting: Assessing the Persuasion Effects of Personality-Tailored Ads on Social Media

Brahim Zarouali, Tom Dobber, Guy De Pauw, Claes de Vreese

Summary: This study investigates the effects of personality-congruent political ads on citizens. The results suggest that political ads that match individuals' personality traits are more persuasive.

COMMUNICATION RESEARCH (2022)

Article Communication

Expanding the Role of Trust in the Experience of Algorithmic Journalism: User Sensemaking of Algorithmic Heuristics in Korean Users

Donghee Shin

Summary: This study aims to explore the ways in which readers understand and utilize the potential trust and affordances in algorithmic journalism (AJ). It proposes the concept of algorithmic trust and analyzes its impact on reader satisfaction and adoption of AJ. The study uses a mixed-method approach, combining interpretive methods and empirical surveys, focusing on Korean users. The findings provide insights for the design of meaningful AJ based on cognitive processes and heuristic mechanisms.

JOURNALISM PRACTICE (2022)

Article Communication

Do Messages Matter? Investigating the Combined Effects of Framing, Outcome Uncertainty, and Number Format on COVID-19 Vaccination Attitudes and Intention

Tianen Chen, Minhao Dai, Shilin Xia, Yu Zhou

Summary: The study found that Chinese adults have positive attitudes and high intention towards COVID-19 vaccination, with age and education positively correlating with attitudes and intention. However, message frames, outcome uncertainty, and number format did not significantly impact vaccination attitudes and intention.

HEALTH COMMUNICATION (2022)

Review Communication

The outcomes of gaining digital skills for young people's lives and wellbeing: A systematic evidence review

Sonia Livingstone, Giovanna Mascheroni, Mariya Stoilova

Summary: Research suggests a positive association between digital skills and online opportunities, information benefits, and orientation to technology. However, there is no clear link to harm. Technical skills were found to have mixed or negative outcomes, while information skills were associated with positive outcomes.

NEW MEDIA & SOCIETY (2023)

Article Communication

Communicating Scientific Uncertainty in an Age of COVID-19: An Investigation into the Use of Preprints by Digital Media Outlets

Alice Fleerackers, Michelle Riedlinger, Laura Moorhead, Rukhsana Ahmed, Juan Pablo Alperin

Summary: This article investigates the increase in media coverage of COVID-19 preprints and highlights a diversity of outlets reporting on these preprints during the early months of the pandemic. Despite the scientific uncertainty associated with preprints, online media outlets have rapidly adopted these research findings, presenting both challenges and opportunities for public health communication.

HEALTH COMMUNICATION (2022)

Article Communication

Hostility Toward the Press: A Synthesis of Terms, Research, and Future Directions in Examining Harassment of Journalists

Kaitlin C. Miller

Summary: This article aims to synthesize literature on the study of abuse and harassment of journalists, provide clear definitions of terms, situate the literature within a larger theoretical context, and establish future research directions. The main argument is that the identity of a journalist as a place of oppression intersects with other identities of oppression, resulting in unique context-based experiences. The objective is to unify work in this growing field with a critical foundation.

DIGITAL JOURNALISM (2023)

Article Communication

Health Beliefs, Trust in Media Sources, Health Literacy, and Preventive Behaviors among High-Risk Chinese for COVID-19

Zhaomeng Niu, Zhou Qin, Pengwei Hu, Tingting Wang

Summary: The COVID-19 outbreak in China was effectively controlled after China's efforts, with vulnerable populations requiring extra attention. Factors such as barriers, benefits, self-efficacy, and trust in different media sources significantly influence their engagement in preventive behaviors, providing direction for future health promotions and interventions.

HEALTH COMMUNICATION (2022)

Article Communication

Sharenting and the extended self: self-representation in parents' Instagram presentations of their children

Steven Holiday, Mary S. Norman, Rebecca L. Densley

Summary: This study examines parents' Instagram posts to understand the motivations behind sharenting. It suggests that sharenting may be driven by self-presentation goals rather than a disregard for children's privacy and rights. The findings identify three categories of self-presentation in parents' sharenting posts.

POPULAR COMMUNICATION (2022)

Article Communication

Three Gaps in Computational Text Analysis Methods for Social Sciences: A Research Agenda

Christian Baden, Christian Pipal, Martijn Schoonvelde, Mariken A. C. G. van der Velden

Summary: The study identifies three gaps in the utilization of computational text analysis methods (CTAM) for social science research: prioritization of technology over validity, mismatch between content extraction and researchers' needs, and dominance of English tools hindering comparative research. These gaps limit the effectiveness and inclusiveness of CTAM in social science research.

COMMUNICATION METHODS AND MEASURES (2022)

Article Communication

The head and heart of news avoidance: How attitudes about the news media relate to levels of news consumption

Stephanie Edgerly

Summary: This study found that factors contributing to extremely low news consumption include disinterest in politics, perceptions of news lacking relevance, low news self-efficacy, and a lack of knowledge about the news system. Surprisingly, the emotional toll of news did not explain variation in overall levels of news consumption.

JOURNALISM (2022)

Article Communication

Seek and you shall find? A content analysis on the diversity of five search engines' results on political queries

Miriam Steiner, Melanie Magin, Birgit Stark, Stefan Geiss

Summary: Search engines play an important role in providing diverse political information, but there is a lack of research in this area. The findings show that users need to consider multiple results to obtain diverse information, posing a significant challenge in using search engines as political news sources. Therefore, media policy measures, such as improving algorithmic transparency, are needed.

INFORMATION COMMUNICATION & SOCIETY (2022)

Article Communication

Towards a Digital Sports Journalism: Field Theory, Changing Boundaries and Evolving Technologies

Gregory Perreault, Travis R. Bell

Summary: Sports journalism, although long trivialized, is still an important subfield within journalism. Digital sports journalism is facing pressure from team and player media, which has caused sports journalists to prioritize their economic value over their topical importance in the journalistic field at large.

COMMUNICATION & SPORT (2022)

Article Communication

Testing the Effectiveness of Message Framing and Episodic Future Thinking in Promoting HPV Vaccination via Anticipated Regret

Hye Min Kim, Eunjin (Anna) Kim, Sheila Murphy

Summary: One of the greatest challenges in health communication is to persuade people to take action for consequences in the distant future. This study found that highlighting future regret can increase the persuasiveness of a health message. Thinking about the future and reading a message that focuses on potential losses were both effective in generating anticipated regret, leading to more positive attitudes and intentions towards HPV vaccination.

HEALTH COMMUNICATION (2022)

Review Communication

Loot boxes, problem gambling and problem video gaming: A systematic review and meta-synthesis

Stuart Gordon Spicer, Laura Louise Nicklin, Maria Uther, Joanne Lloyd, Helen Lloyd, James Close

Summary: Research indicates associations between loot box purchasing and problem gambling/problem video gaming, with varying effect sizes, but suggests potential benefits for harm minimisation through policy interventions.

NEW MEDIA & SOCIETY (2022)

Article Communication

The Effect of Social Media on Stress among Young Adults during COVID-19 Pandemic: Taking into Account Fatalism and Social Media Exhaustion

Annabel Ngien, Shaohai Jiang

Summary: This study found that social media has a certain impact on the mental stress of young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social media did not directly affect stress, but instead, fatalism completely mediated this relationship. One's perceived social media exhaustion negatively moderated this mediation pathway.

HEALTH COMMUNICATION (2022)

Article Communication

Black Squares for Black Lives? Performative Allyship as Credibility Maintenance for Social Media Influencers on Instagram

Mariah L. Wellman

Summary: In the summer of 2020, social media influencers on Instagram posted black squares to show support for Black Lives Matter. However, this act was often performative and didn't genuinely merge with the movement. As a result, social justice activism became memeified and no significant progress was made in the wellness creator industry on Instagram.

SOCIAL MEDIA + SOCIETY (2022)