Στον ολοένα και αυξανόμενο όγκο πληροφοριών που υπάρχει διαθέσιμος οποιαδήποτε στιγμή στο Διαδίκτυο, ο τρόπος πρόσβασης του χρήστη σε αυτόν γίνεται διαρκώς ευκολότερος. Ο κάθε χρήστης του Διαδικτύου έχει ανά πάσα στιγμή τη δυνατότητα να βρει πληροφορίες συγκεντρωμένες σε έναν χώρο πολύ πιο εύκολα από ότι θα έκανε για παράδειγμα σε μια βιβλιοθήκη. Ενδιαφέρον παρουσιάζει ο τρόπος με τον οποίο ο κάθε χρήστης φτάνει στην εύρεση της πληροφορίας και η ενδεχόμενη ύπαρξη ενός μοντέλου στο οποίο βασίζεται αυτή η συμπεριφορά. Επειδή ο χώρος του Διαδικτύου είναι αχανής και πολύπλευρος, στα πλαίσια της παρούσας διπλωματικής επιλέξαμε να επικεντρωθούμε μόνο στις Σελίδες Κοινωνικής Δικτύωσης (Social Network Sites) και πιο συγκεκριμένα στο Facebook και στο Google+. Η επιλογή των δυο αυτών σελίδων έγινε με κριτήριο την ομοιότητα και των παρεμφερών δυνατοτήτων που προσφέρουν και οι δύο. Επίσης, μας δόθηκε η δυνατότητα να μελετήσουμε τη συμπεριφορά των χρηστών σε έναν χώρο, που για τους περισσότερους ήταν άγνωστος, όπως είναι το Google+, το οποίο μόλις πριν από λίγο καιρό έγινε διαθέσιμο σε όλους τους χρήστες του Διαδικτύου. Έτσι, λοιπόν, σχεδιάσαμε ένα πείραμα στο οποίο οι συμμετέχοντες θα αναλάμβαναν να κάνουν ένα συγκεκριμένο αριθμό παρόμοιων εργασιών τόσο στο Google+ όσο και στο Facebook και χρησιμοποιώντας τον Eye Tracker της Tobii καταγράψαμε τη συμπεριφορά τους. Αξιοποιώντας τις δυνατότητες, τις οποίες μας παρέχει το Tobii Studio, το λογισμικό που συνοδεύει το μηχάνημα, επιχειρήσαμε να αναλύσουμε αυτές τις συμπεριφορές βάσει κάποιων χαρακτηριστικών, που ονομάζονται μετρικές. Επειδή, όμως, το λογισμικό περιορίζεται σε συγκεκριμένα χαρακτηριστικά που υπολογίζει, κρίθηκε αναγκαία η ανάπτυξη μιας μεθόδου με την οποία θα γινόταν η εξαγωγή περαιτέρω χρήσιμων χαρακτηριστικών , ενός είδους εργαλείου σε πολύ αρχικό στάδιο ωστόσο. Τέλος, χρησιμοποιώντας το SPSS κάναμε στατιστική ανάλυση των αποτελεσμάτων τόσο του πειράματος όσο και των συνοδευτικών σε αυτό ερωτηματολογίων για να τα επιβεβαιώσουμε και στατιστικά. / In the constantly increasing mass of information that is available anytime on the Internet, the way each user accesses it becomes easier. Each user of the Internet has at any time the opportunity to find information gathered all in one place a lot easier than he could do in a library for example. The way each user comes to finding that information and the potential existence of a model on which this behavior is based, is of great interest. Due to the fact that the Internet is vast and versatile, in this thesis we decided to focus only on social network sites and more specifically on Facebook and Google+. The choice of these two sites was made based on their resemblance and the similar opportunities they both have to offer. In addition, we were given the chance to study the behavior of users in a site, with which most people were not familiar, like Google+, which has been made available to everyone only a couple of months ago. So we designed an experiment on which the participants would undertake a certain amount of similar tasks both in Google+ and Facebook and using Tobii’s Eye Tracker we recorded their behavior. Utilizing the abilities that Tobii Studio, the software accompanying the Eye Tracker, offers us, we attempted to analyze these behaviors based on some characteristics, known as metrics. However due to the fact that the software is limited only on certain characteristics that it measures, we judged it was necessary to develop a method that would extract some more useful characteristics, like a tool, although in a very early stage. Finally, using SPSS we made a statistical analysis of both the experiment’s and the accompanying questionnaire’s results to confirm them also statistically.

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Developments such as the ubiquity of electronic networks and the breadth of digital platforms beyond simple forums have lead to major economic and social transformations worldwide (Agarwal et al, 2008). This research will explore developments in the area of social networking using Internet technology in order to determine factors that lead to success. Despite considerable growth among the number of online communities available, very few are successful at retaining members and continued usage by its members (Ma & Agarwal, 2007). The purpose of this dissertation is to determine factors leading to a successful social networking site (SNS). Through the unification of the IS success model and social capital theory, a new model is develop called the SNS success model. The result of this study support eight hypotheses with one hypothesis unsupported. It was shown that content quality, system quality, and trust positively affect social capital and user satisfaction. User satisfaction positively affects continued use intention. Social capital was shown to support user satisfaction but the relationship with continued use intention was non-significant. Further investigation demonstrated that the relationship between social capital and continued use intention was fully mediated by user satisfaction. This study contributes to knowledge by developing a model displaying success factors for SNS success. Further, it demonstrates the relationship between social capital and continued use intention through the mediation of user satisfaction. This study serves as a foundation of research in the emerging area of SNSs. It also has practical implications for practitioners to help SNS administrators understand factors that influence usage. Recommendations for future research and practical implications for SNS administrators are also discussed.

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abstract: ABSTRACT This study describes student interactions in the academic social network site Edmodo versus student interactions in Facebook. This qualitative case study relies upon four high school juniors enrolled in Advanced Placement Language and Composition who use Edmodo to complete assignments for their English class. Their experiences were gathered in an attempt to describe specific experiences in a complex system. Students were selected using an Internet Connectedness Index survey. Using a Virtual Community of Practice framework, students were asked about their experiences in Edmodo. This study concludes that Edmodo and Facebook can be compared in three categories: accessibility, functionality, and environment. Unlike Facebook, which students access regularly, students access Edmodo only to fulfill the teacher's participation expectations for the specific grade they wish to receive. Additionally, students appreciated the convenience of using Edmodo to complete assignments. The functionality of Edmodo is quite similar in layout and appearance to Facebook, yet students were unaware of the media sharing capability, wished for private messaging options, and desired the ability to tag peers for direct comment using the @ sign, all options that are available in Facebook. Students felt the environment in Edmodo could best be characterized as intellectual and academic, which some mentioned might best be used with honors or AP students. A surprising benefit of Edmodo is the lack of social cues enable students to feel free of judgment when composing writing. Some felt this allowed students to know their classmates better and share their true personae free from judgment of classmates. As a result of the case studies of four students, this study seeks to illustrate how students interact in Edmodo versus Facebook to provide a robust image of the academic social network site for teachers seeking to implement educational technology in their classes. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ed.D. Educational Administration and Supervision 2013

Given the increasing number of younger immigrants from China, we have noticed diversified performances of Chinese-American teenagers based on the age they come to the U.S. This thesis thus examines three specific aspects—assimilation, social network site (SNS) use, and reaction to Asian stereotype—of Chinese-American teenagers living in Austin, regarding intraethnic differences between and among different clusters of this cohort as the second generation immigrant. By employing semi-structured interviews conducted with teenagers who have respective immigrant history and family background, a wide array of patterns about assimilation, SNS use, and reaction to Asian stereotype are traced and analyzed alongside demonstrating outlines and traits in terms of different generation clusters (1.25ers, 1.5ers, 1.75ers and 2.0ers). A total of ten Chinese-American teenagers, aged from 15 to 18, are recruited and interviewed through snowball approach, allowing for the surface of intraethnic variations on the aforementioned aspects. Preliminary discussions are made to tease out how these three aspects are intertwined. / text

MySpace is a social network site (SNS) that forms an essential part of modern online communication. The creation of a personal profile in MySpace allows a user to connect with a global network of friends and communicate in a number of different ways. This thesis sets out to explore the experience of MySpace in terms of the self, identity and community. MySpace will be studied from a constructionist form of social psychology that benefits from new dialects of movement, performance and process. MySpace is conceptualised as a mediated community where users shape and are shaped by their experience of using the site. This study uses empirical data taken from the natural use of MySpace. A total of 100 open-access profiles are explored for the myriad ways that users constitute the self and identity in MySpace. The analysis identifies a number of functions of mediating the self including: the brand me, the hoped-for self and the self in potential. The brand me describes the reflective ability to realise other normative capacities through the practice of blogging in MySpace. This focuses on the ability to create new forms of subjectivity in MySpace interactions. In a similar vein, the hoped-for self explains the modification of the self through the act of profile changing and focuses on the actual, everyday practices of the self. Each of these analytic themes demonstrates the importance of the relational connections in MySpace. Finally, the self is defined as in potential as the analysis demonstrates an ongoing need for a narrative construction to the profile that is performed in both the visual and the textual aspects of the page.

The increasing usage of social networking sites, such as Facebook has changed the way that corporations and customer interact with each other. New ways of customer-corporation interactions evolve constantly, enabling customers to participate and co-create value with the corporations. An organisation that has taken this a step further is Skånetrafiken, which uses Facebook as a channel for its customer service. This thesis focuses in the interactions that occur between Skånetrafiken and its customers, which in this case takes place on Facebook.   The purpose of this thesis is to explore the what, how and why customer and corporation interaction occur on Skånetrafiken's Facebook page. In order to approach the phenomenon of co-creation, we conducted a case study as a research design and strategy. Data collection methods we used were observations on Skånetrafiken’s Facebook page, an interview and a focus group discussion.     The findings indicate that there must be an engagement for the co-creation process to begin and that the co-creation process is continuous rather than a fixed model. It further turned out that different types of interactions occur, not only customer-to-corporation, but also customer-to-customer and customer-to-employee interactions. The limitations of the study imply that the findings cannot be generalised on all organisations since only one organisation have been examined. This thesis further gives a practical implication by presenting an applicable framework for co-creation on Facebook. Additionally, few if any have previously studied phenomenon of co-creation on Facebook, which contributes to the original value of the thesis.

Diploma thesis discusses one of the largest social network sites - Facebook. It aims to find out how is perceived by its older users, that means, trying using semi-structured individual interviews to answer the following questions: "How adults uses Facebook? What does it lead to? And can be find similar criteria in Facebook in the use of Facebook as among adolescents or is more suitable use the approach with the help of a typology users?" Based on research it was found that the development of adults use on Facebook passes through similar stages as development of adolescents use, but with large differentiation, not only between the two different age groups, but also between adults. Grasping the behaviors of adults seem to be more appropriate with the creation of their typology which allows more account of the individual features of individuals, whether they are Provokatéři, Neználci, Závislí or Ledabylí users. KEYWORDS Adult Facebook Social network sites Typology User