The aim with this thesis were to investigate social influence of the two humanoid robots, NAO and Pepper. The research questions were if there were a difference in human social acceptance, in social influence and in influence on human decision making between NAO and Pepper. To answer these questions, an experiment using the Wizard of Oz-method were used with 36 participant, 18 in each group, interacted with NAO or Pepper. Afterwards two questionnaires, NARS and GODSPEED, were answered and an additional interview were held with the participants. The result showed a significant difference on GODSPEED, where NAO indicates to have a higher amount of social influence on the participants then Pepper. The result for NARS were not significant. The result from the decisions made during the experiment indicated that humans follow NAO more than Pepper, a result that got more explained and understandable during the interviews.   For future studies there would be interesting to test the scenario with a larger selection and also with a more natural Wizard of Oz-design.

E-sport är vid början av 2020-talet en mer accepterad sport än tidigare i historien och har nått en sådan kommersiell nivå att spelare i toppskiktet kan livnära sig på det. I takt med att spelen blivit mer tävlingsinriktade samt upptar en stor del av mångas tid har oron över spel och spelmiljöers potentiella psykologiska effekter aktualiserats. E-sportmiljöerna har ryktet att framkalla negativa emotionella tillstånd, såsom nedstämdhet, frustration och ilska. Syftet med studien är att genom kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer undersöka de negativa emotioner som upplevs i det sociala samspelet i online-spelet League of Legends samt hur de hanteras av individen. Studien består av 10 intervjuer. Urvalet var begränsat till individer som spelade minst 4 timmar i veckan och som hade erfarenhet av aktiva och medvetna försök att hantera frustrationer som uppstår i spelandet. Studien utgår från en socialpsykologisk ansats genom teorier om bland annat aggression, social påverkan och emotionshantering. Studiens resultat visar att spelets tävlingsinriktade utformning samt möjligheten av att vara anonym påverkar det emotionella tillståndet samt beteendet negativt. Social påverkan genom kommunikation och samarbete upplevde intervjupersonerna som en betydande faktor för det emotionella tillståndet. Frustration fick ofta utlopp genom aggressivitet riktad mot andra och sig själv. Metoder för att hantera emotionella tillstånd innefattar kognitiva omvärderingar och undvikande av negativa situationer. / E-sports are at the beginning of the 2020s more accepted sports than earlier in history and has reached such a commercial level that players at the top layer can earn their livelihood from it. As the games have become more competitive and constitutes a more significant part of many people's time, the concern for the E-sports-environment´s potential psychological effects has been brought to the fore. E-sports-environments have the reputation to induce negative emotional conditions such as malaise, frustration or anger. The purpose of this study is to through qualitative semi-structured interviews examine the negative emotions experienced in the social interplay in the online game League of Legends as well as how the individual handles such emotions. The study consists of 10 interviews. Selection criteria for the study is limited to individuals who played at least 4 hours per week and had experience of active attempts to manage game related frustration. The study is based on a social-psychological approach using theories about aggression, social influence and emotional regulation. The result of the study shows that the games competitive design as well as the possibility to be anonymous negatively affects the emotions and behavior of the player. Social influence through communication and cooperation was experienced by the interviewees as aconsiderable factor for the emotional condition. Frustration often led to aggression towards ohers and oneself. Methods for regulating emotional conditions include cognitive revaluations and avoidance of negative situations.

El formato de pasajes low cost es una tendencia que ha ido estableciéndose en el mercado peruano. No obstante, no han logrado tener la acogida esperada por parte de los consumidores peruanos, debido a diferentes aspectos. Por ello, en la presente investigación se analizarán factores asociados a la compra de pasajes low cost en hombres y mujeres de 20 a 50 años. De esta manera, se han seleccionado las variables valor hedónico, valor utilitario, influencia social, precio, promociones, página web, experiencia de compra y riesgo percibido. Con la finalidad de poder comprobar las hipótesis se ha desarrollado una investigación mixta. Por un lado, en el estudio cualitativo se realizaron dos focus groups al público objetivo y tres encuestas a profundidad a expertos en el sector. Por otro lado, para el estudio cuantitativo se aplicó un cuestionario a 355 personas. Cabe mencionar que se hizo un estudio de regresión lineal múltiple. De esta manera, se obtuvo que las variables valor hedónico, página web y experiencia de compra fueron que las que presentaron una relación con la intención de compra. Finalmente, es importante mencionar que la presente investigación es una de las pocas investigaciones realizadas sobre los factores que pueden presentar una relación sobre compra de pasajes low cost en el mercado peruano. / The low-cost ticket format is a trend that has been establishing itself in the Peruvian market. However, due to different aspects the low-cost airlines have not managed to achieve the expected reception by Peruvian consumers. For this reason, this research will analyze factors associated with the purchase of low-cost tickets for men and women between 20 and 50 years of age in Lima. In this way, we select the variables hedonic value, utility value, social influence, price, promotions, website, purchase experience and perceived risk. In order to be able to evaluate the hypotheses, a mixed investigation has been developed. On the one hand, the qualitative study will analyze two focus groups on the target audience and three in-depth surveys of experts in the sector. On the other hand, for the quantitative study, a questionnaire was applied to 355 people. It should be noted that a multiple linear regression study was done. In this way, it was obtained the variables hedonic value, website and purchase experience had a relationship with the purchase intention. Finally, it is important that this investigation be one of the few investigations carried out on the factors that may present a relationship on the purchase of low-cost tickets in the Peruvian market. / Trabajo de investigación

Cette thèse s'intéresse à la question des changements de comportement, et notamment à la manière dont cette question s'applique au domaine informatique à travers les technologies persuasives. Dans un contexte applicatif particulier, celui de la rénovation de logements, nous nous intéressons au rôle que peuvent jouent les informations à disposition des utilisateurs sur leur façon d'élaborer leur projet de rénovation. Une façon de modifier les comportements des utilisateurs est de modifier les buts qu'ils poursuivent, soit de manière explicite, soit de manière implicite. Si l'efficacité de la première a été montrée en contexte expérimental, elle semble toutefois moins adaptée à des situations naturelles. Nous proposons donc une approche visant à modifier les buts poursuivis par les utilisateurs implicitement.Dans cette optique, nous travaillons d'abord à l'emploi de normes sociales injonctives pour inciter les utilisateurs à travailler particulièrement sur la rénovation énergétique. Au cours d'une première étude, nous comparons norme sociale injonctive et objectif arbitraire à une condition contrôle. Nous nous intéressons à la performance des participants à la tâche (améliorer la performance énergétique d'un logement) ainsi qu'à la manière dont le projet se met en place tout au long de l'étude. Les résultats montrent que norme sociale et objectif explicite ont un effet similaire sur la performance à la tâche mais différent sur l'organisation temporelle. On observe ainsi des comportements plus stables dans le cas où la norme sociale est activée, et un effet qui semble globalement moins artificiel que dans le cas où on fixe un objectif explicite à l'utilisateur. Cette première étude met également en avant la nécessité pour la norme d'être saillante, ou activée.Nous nous intéressons donc dans une deuxième étude à ce qui caractérise la saillance du message normatif.Dans la première étude, nous avions utilisé deux types d'informations différentes : le message normatif et des indices concrets relatifs au comportement désirable. Cette deuxième étude vise à distinguer ces deux informations et tester leur effet respectif. Les résultats montrent que le message normatif semble avoir un effet légèrement plus important sur la performance mais aussi plus artificiel sur les comportements des utilisateurs.Dans une troisième étude, nous nous intéressons aux caractéristiques du message, en faisant l'hypothèse qu'un message mieux perçu pourrait appuyer la saillance de la norme qu'il porte. Dans le cadre d'une collaboration avec des chercheurs en intelligence artificielle nous avons ainsi testé différents types de cadrage afin d'évaluer leur effet respectif sur la perception de l'argument auquel ils s'appliquaient.Les résultats, mitigés, montrent essentiellement que le style argumentatif (rationnel et factuel plutôt qu'émotionnel ou moral) semble avoir un poids conséquent sur la perception de l'argument. En outre, la thématique abordée par l'argument semble jouer un rôle non négligeable et devrait donc faire l'objet d'une attention particulière pour le développement d'interventions similaires.Sur le plan applicatif, nos résultats mettent d'abord en évidence la pertinence de l'utilisation des normes sociales injonctives dans un contexte de technologie persuasive. Ils montrent également que les messages portant la norme sociale doivent être conçus avec soin, en tenant compte de multiples facteurs. Sur le plan théorique, nous montrons qu'une norme sociale peut avoir un effet comparable à celui d'un objectif explicitement fixé, mais que les deux génèrent la mise en place de processus cognitifs différents. Enfin, sur le plan méthodologique, nous appliquons l'analyse de traces de l'activité au champ de l'influence sociale, ce qui, à notre connaissance, n'avait pas encore été mis en place. / This thesis deals with the question of behavioral changes, and in particular with the way this question applies to the computer domain through persuasive technologies.In a particular application context, that of the renovation of housing, we are interested in the role that the information available to users can play in the way they develop their renovation project. One way to change user behavior is to change the goals they pursue, either explicitly or implicitly. Although the effectiveness of the former has been shown in an experimental context, it seems less suitable for natural situations. We therefore propose an approach aimed at modifying the goals pursued by the users implicitly.With this in mind, we are working first on the use of injunctive social norms to encourage users to work particularly on energy renovation. In a first study, we compare injunctive social norm and goal setting to a control condition. We are interested in the performance of the participants in the task (improving the energy performance of a home) as well as the way in which the project is set up throughout the study. The results show that social norm and explicit goal have a similar effect on task performance but different on temporal organization. We also observe a more stable behavior in the case where the social norm is activated, and an effect that seems globally less artificial than in the case where we set an explicit objective to the user. This first study also highlights the need for the norm to be salient, or activated.In a second study, we focus on what characterizes the salience of the normative message. In the first study, we used two different types of information: the normative message and concrete cues of desirable behavior. This second study aims to distinguish these two types of information and test their respective effect. The results show that the normative message seems to have a slightly greater effect on performance but also more artificial on user behavior.In a third study, we are interested in the characteristics of the message, assuming that a better perceived message could support the salience of the norm it carries. As part of a collaboration with artificial intelligence researchers, we tested different types of framing to assess their respective effect on the perception of the argument to which they applied. The mixed results essentially show that the argumentative style (rational and factual rather than emotional or moral) seems to have a significant weight on the perception of the argument. In addition, the theme addressed by the argument seems to play a significant role and should therefore be given special attention for the development of similar interventions.At the application level, our results first highlight the relevance of the use of injunctive social norms in a context of persuasive technology. They also show that social standard messages must be carefully crafted, taking into account multiple factors. On the theoretical level, we show that a social norm can have an effect comparable to that of an explicitly fixed objective, but that both generate the setting up of different cognitive processes. Eventually, methodologically, we apply the analysis of traces of activity to the field of social influence, which, to our knowledge, had not yet been put in place.

abstract: College sports in America represent a multibillion dollar industry. Recruiting collegiate student-athletes not only is costly for university teams, but is integral for their long-term success. Universities spend substantial amounts of money to recruit student-athletes, yet relatively little academic work has focused on understanding the athletic recruiting process. While NCAA policy regulates when communication is allowed between coaches and student-athletes, there is a lack of literature investigating what the communicative aspects of athletic recruiting entail. Thus, the purpose of this dissertation is to unpack the student-athlete experience of collegiate athletic recruitment. It builds on theoretical work from organizational and interpersonal communication, as well as management and marketing, to extend existing knowledge of student-athletes’ college choice. Specifically, a conceptual model is presented that includes how student-athletes’ expectations and relationships during athletic recruitment contribute to an overall affinity for the university that, in turn, influences choice. Thirty Division I student-athletes from six different sports participated in focus groups to discuss their recruitment experiences. Taking a grounded theory approach to the focus group transcripts, thematic analysis illuminated what was most memorable for student-athletes about their recruitment, what expectations they had for the process, and what relational benefits they sought when making their college choice decision. Findings reinforced the prominence of communication in the recruitment process, and indicated the importance of interpersonal relationships, authentic communication, and a customized recruiting experience. This work represents the start of a scholarly trajectory which will further conceptualize and test the relational elements of athletic recruiting. Future directions, as well as theoretical and practical implications, are discussed. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Communication 2019

The theory of motivated reasoning predicts that partisan cues in the media will affect political attitudes, by encouraging individuals to align their views with those of their party's elites. The effect has primarily been tested by looking at issues which have pre-established partisan positions (e.g. immigration reform, gay rights, etc.). This study looks at the effects of partisan cues in the media on attitudes toward a non-partisan issue, the NSA's collection of American's meta-data. Additionally, the study extends research on partisan cues by exploring the moderating role of an individual's political communication network and, specifically, exposure to cross-cutting political communication. Findings are mixed: although there was no main effect of exposure to partisan cues in general, strong partisans were more affected by exposure to partisan cues than weak partisans. Additionally, although frequency of political discussion was not found to moderate the effect of partisan cues, individuals with high exposure to cross-cutting communication were significantly less affected by partisan cues than those with low exposure to cross-cutting communication. Limitations, implications, and future directions are discussed.

This study analyzes a recently published collection of poetry on the ongoing Russo-krainian war. Against a background of Russia’s new oppressive laws concerning the fact that a person can be sent to prison for up to 15 years for spreading “false information” about the war the study aims to investigate the way poets express themselves in the collective work Poeziia poslednego vremeni: Khronika, published in Saint Petersburg in the fall of 2022. The study was conducted through content analysis and close reading of selected poems of the collection. Conclusions that was drawn from the study is that the collective work contains poems with a strong anti-war message. Poets take a clear standpoint in the collection against the Russian regime and the war and oftentimes use a satirical and ironic way to undermine both the war and the Russian regime, which is remarkable considering the risk taken when speaking out against the war in today’s Russia.

<p>Political socialization has been of interest to political science and communication scholars for decades. Focusing primarily on parents, few studies have examined how peer relationships can affect the political socialization process. Additionally, much of the literature does not examine political socialization past the age of 18. Using social penetration theory, this study proposes that the unique features of the college context—independence, new relationships, political organizations—make it a particularly ripe context for political socialization to occur. The study utilized a survey-based to test this assumption and examine if/how college students between the ages of 18 and 24 are communicating with their peers and to what political socialization effect. The findings contribute to political socialization literature, social penetration theory, and our understanding of how young people talk about politics.</p>

This study will provide a clearer understanding of the construct, Third World, which may not seem to have a consensus meaning. This is because its perceived definition, which is linked, first to feudalism and then to the socio-politico conditions that existed during the period leading up to and immediately after the cold war means that its conceptual metamorphosis should have ceased once these periods were relegated to the annals of history. Whether and how contemporary definitions of Third World have changed since then should be of interest to scholars and is the focus of this study. This is because anecdotally speaking the media have reframed this construct in a manner that recreates, so called, Third World nations into the three categories of very Third World, somewhat Third World, and not at all Third World. What this study reveals, however, is that these distinctions and to some extent the designations of nations as first, second, and third worlds are misleading colloquialisms.

This paper explores the impact of political responses against terrorism and how they are linked to hypothetical voting intention. After September 11, 2001, terrorism became a major concern of democratic governments and their residents. Terrorism poses a constant unseen threat that people want to feel protected from. The goal of the current study was to examine whether the way political candidates communicate responses to terrorist actions affect the way people vote. The findings indicate that offensive portrayals of terrorism brought in more hypothetical votes than defensive ones. These data have the potential to help the general public better understand political messages related to the subject of terrorism along with facilitating communication during future possible crisis caused by terrorist attacks.