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A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in Strategic Marketing Johannesburg, 2016 / Worldwide, visual content, such as photos and videos, have increased dramatically on social network sites (SNS), with South Africa being no exception. Due to these developments, marketers are increasingly interested in the factors that impact the usage of these sites, in order to develop branded content that will attract and engage users. However, there is a lack of academic research revealing how individual consumer factors, such as personality, influence SNS users’ preferences for different types of content on SNS, particularly within an emerging market such as South Africa. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between two personality traits – need for cognition (NFC) and need for affect (NFA) – and visual and verbal content preference on SNS in South Africa. The study also briefly examined whether demographic variables (gender and age) and SNS usage factors had an impact on the relationships between these variables. An online survey and pen-and-paper questionnaire were conducted. 307 social network site users were obtained primarily from two South African universities through convenience sampling. Data was analysed using correlation analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and standard multiple linear regression on SPSS. The main findings showed that personality does have an influence (albeit small) on SNS users’ preference for visual or verbal content, and warrants consideration by marketing organisations in the design of SNS content. Visual content preference on SNS was found to have a positive relationship with NFA and a negative relationship with NFC. Verbal content preference had a positive relationship with NFC but no significant relationship with NFA. Demographic and SNS usage variables showed mixed results in their impact on SNS content preference. It was recommended that future studies include other variables that could affect SNS content preference, as well as use more objective measures (rather than self-reporting) to determine SNS users’ actual behaviour. Key words: Social network sites, personality traits, need for cognition, need for affect, visual content, verbal content, South Africa, emerging market / GR2018

A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the field of Digital Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2016 / Facebook has become a part of over a billion people’s daily lives, but the mechanisms used by Facebook to keep people using its service may be playing off negative personality traits, one such being narcissism. Studies up to now have not looked at the design of the interface in relation to narcissism and whether or not Facebook is actively exploiting narcissism for its own ends. This study will analyse whether Facebook is deliberately designing an interface that exploits people’s narcissism by reviewing the current research on Facebook and narcissism and then doing a case study that will compare the 2008 interface with the 2015 interface. It will analyse how narcissism is involved in the persuasion strategies employed in each interface by using these four persuasion goals: 1. Create personal profile page 2. Invite friends 3. Respond to other’s contributions 4. Return to the site often The study will compare the features that use design for behavioural change and show whether or not Facebook is continuously designing features that exploit people’s narcissism. / GR2017

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DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF COMMERCE IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS TO THE FACULTY OF COMMERCE, LAW AND MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, JOHANNESBURG FEBRUARY 2015 / Social Network Sites (SNS) such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Piniterest and Google+ have made it easy for youth to communicate, produce and share information. Using SNS has become a daily activity for many youth and young adults around the world, including South Africa. The use of SNS by youth may be motivated by needs for safety, belonging, self-esteem and self-actualization, and others such as enjoyment. Yet, the use of SNS by youth may also carry a number of risks. They include risks to violations of privacy, social and psychological risks that may harm the user’s self-image, as well as time and financial risks resulting from excessive SNS usage. The purpose of this study is to understand the tension between risks and motivation in the use of SNS by university students. To do so, this study developed an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Multi-dimensional risk and motivation constructs were examined for their interactions with TAM constructs of perceived ease of use and perceive usefulness and their effects on SNS usage intentions and actual usage were examined. To test the model, a non-probability convenience sampling method was adopted using students from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. Five hundred and fifteen students participated in the study. The ages ranged between 18 and 34 years, 26% males and 74% females took part in the study, and included students from 1st year through to 4th year undergraduate or Honours level. Facebook was found to be the most used SNS. Approximately 80% of respondents reported accessing SNS on their mobile phones and 66% reported being always connected. More than 25% of respondents were actively using SNS for more than 3 hours a day, with 35% using less than one hour per day. Interestingly, only 35% reported having public profiles although 10% did not know whether their profiles were public or private, and nearly 40% of respondents knew less than half the “friends” they were connected to on SNS Partial least squares approach to structured equation modelling was used to test the hypothesised research model. Results showed that motivation influences perceived usefulness (β=0.239, p<0.001) and perceived ease of use (β=0.319, p<0.001) positively. The results suggest that when motivations such as enjoyment and need to belong are high, SNS will be perceived as useful and easy to use. Risk was found to have a negative influence on perceived usefulness (β=-0.0764, p<0.05) and perceived ease of use (β=-0.3265, p<0.001). The results show that when risks are considered high, users are likely to increase their vigilance and consequently will report SNS as less easy to use. Moreover, as a result of risk users may find the SNS less useful. Perceived usefulness (β=0.295, p<0.001) influences intention to use SNS positively. This suggests that when SNS is useful to users, they will have intentions to use it. Intention to use SNS is also influenced by perceived ease of use (β=0.0396, p<0.01). An easy to use SNS will make users want to use it, as opposed to one considered more complex and requiring more effort. Motivation (β=0.281, p<0.001) was found to have more of an effect than risk (β=-0.071, p<0.05) on intentions to use. Respondents thus appear to recognize some risks associated with SNS use, but they appear to be driven more by motivations and less by risk avoidance when deciding on SNS usage. The study will have implications for researchers, SNS providers and users. The results of the study have implications for how researchers conceptualize risk and motivation. The study shows how different dimensions of risk and dimensions of motivation affect the overall risk and overall motivation construct respectively. Currently SNS providers may not have deep understanding of the risks which hinder the use of SNS and motivations which drive the use of SNS. Providers will be better informed to design SNS that are less risky and where possible mitigate the risks. Results also show that SNS providers should not only mitigate risks but also provide online social networks that better fulfil motivational needs of youth. Users will be aware of different risks they are exposing themselves to by using SNS. Since users will be aware of the different types of risks, they can be vigilante when using SNS. / MT2017

Previous research highlighted that Internet use, in particular online information<p>retrieval and discussions, can facilitate offline collective actions (Boulianne, 2009).<p>Recently, however, the Internet also has been criticized for encouraging low-cost and lowrisk<p>online collective actions—slacktivism—that may have detrimental consequences for<p>groups that aim to achieve a collective purpose (Gladwell, 2010). More precisely, it is<p>argued that actions such as “liking” Facebook pages or posting ingroup-endorsing<p>comments online make users instantly feel good, satisfy their need to act, and derail<p>participation in offline collective actions (Lee & Hsieh, 2013; Morozov, 2009).<p>In my thesis, I assessed this postulation as well as the underlying processes and<p>boundary conditions of the relationship between so-called slacktivist actions and offline<p>collective actions. After introducing a conceptualization of slacktivism as expressive lowthreshold<p>online collective actions, I investigated its influence on offline engagement<p>(Study 1, N = 634; Study 2, N = 76; Study 3, N = 63; Study 4, N = 48). Results indicated that<p>expressive low-threshold online collective actions reduce the willingness to join offline<p>collective actions. This effect was mediated by the satisfaction of group-enhancing<p>motives; members considered the online actions as a substantial contribution to the<p>group's success. The demobilizing impact of expressive low-threshold online collective<p>actions was qualified when members took the online actions in the co-presence of the<p>ingroup, all parties being mutually identifiable (Study 5a, N = 84; Study 5b, N = 99). In this<p>context, obligatory interdependencies between members were enhanced and fostered a<p>spill-over from online to offline collective actions (Study 6, N = 62). / Doctorat en Sciences Psychologiques et de l'éducation / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Le premier chapitre de ce travail est consacré à une analyse détaillée de la mention de l’origine ethnique ou nationale des criminels dans le cas de l’affaire Joe Van Holsbeeck et à la réception de cette information par le public belge. Nous y analysons dans une perspective temporelle les titres d’article et les éditoriaux publiés sur l’affaire Joe Van Holsbeeck par six quotidiens belges ainsi qu’un échantillon de témoignages prélevés sur un blog créé en mémoire de la victime. Dans le deuxième chapitre, nous proposons une analyse secondaire des données présentées dans le premier chapitre avec une nouvelle question à l’esprit :Quel est le sens de la relation entre discours médiatique et discours public à l’ère des médias sociaux et dans un contexte de concurrence accrue entre les médias ?Le troisième chapitre a pour objectif d’examiner les représentations sociales élaborées par le public belge dans le but de donner sens à l’agression de Joe Van Holsbeeck et d’identifier les liens qui pouvaient exister entre représentations sociales et participation à des actions en lien avec l’affaire, sur base d’entretiens menés auprès d’une trentaine de personnes mobilisées à des degrés divers dans l’affaire. Dans le quatrième chapitre, nous rapportons les résultats de quatre études expérimentales sur l’exposition sélective à des extraits d’article de presse en fonction de l’origine ethnique ou nationale des criminels. La qualité perçue des extraits, le degré de préjugé des participants, le degré de crédibilité attribuée aux médias ont été mesurés. De plus, afin de favoriser l’émergence de l’effet d’exposition sélective, l’étude 3 visait à restreindre la quantité d’articles auxquels les participants pouvaient s’exposer tandis que l’étude 4 imposait des contraintes temporelles à la lecture. Les résultats pris dans leur ensemble mettent en évidence le rôle actif joué par le public dans la (non) transmission des stéréotypes par les médias. / Doctorat en Sciences Psychologiques et de l'éducation / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Online adolescent friendships and social networking among adolescents are current phenomena that have emerged, and exploded, as part of the digital age and the vast development of communication technologies. The primary aim of this study was to gain knowledge and understanding regarding the nature and quality of online friendships and social networking among adolescents. A sequential explanatory mixed method design, was put to use for the purpose of this study. The quantitative data was collected first in the form of a short survey, by utilising a self-developed questionnaire to obtain a general overview of the social network practices and the forming and maintaining of online friendships among adolescents. Twenty five participants took part in the survey. This study was followed by a qualitative study in the form of interviews, to clarify, elaborate and explain the quantitative findings. Five information rich participants were interviewed. The findings of the empirical investigation revealed that adolescents, being part of the Net Generation, base their concept of socialising with friends on digital and communication technology, especially cell phones. They are connected to their friends 24 hours a day. The sense of safety and support they experience through this constant connectedness strengthens their self-esteem, self-confidence and self-worth and contributes to their identity formation. It is therefore recommended that parents and educators should accept that adolescents live in a virtual world and their new way of socialising, needs to be acknowledged. Parents and educators should adjust accordingly, by getting educated in this field themselves. The Net Generation is a generation who focuses on relationships and collaboration through technology and this should be exploited by anybody who has contact or interacts with the adolescent of today. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

Running title: Personality and cyberbullying victimisation / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 104-120) / The aim of this study was to gain insight into the relationship between personality and cyberbullying victimisation using a sample of 107 adult participants. The participants were found using the social media site Facebook in particular and assessed by means of the Big Five Inventory and a cyberbullying measure developed by the researcher. The study also explored the relationship between personality and coping behaviours using the COPE Inventory. The study findings indicate that neuroticism and cyberbullying victimisation are correlated, albeit weakly, with the largest correlation being between neuroticism and online impersonation and harassment. In addition, the study found a weak correlation between openness to experience and online impersonation. Coping and personality were moderately correlated; with neurotic individuals and victims of cyberbullying often resorting to maladaptive coping strategies. These results may suggest that there are other, more significant risk factors in the cyberbullying field that merit further exploration, while the relationships highlighted in the study also require further investigation. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Online adolescent friendships and social networking among adolescents are current phenomena that have emerged, and exploded, as part of the digital age and the vast development of communication technologies. The primary aim of this study was to gain knowledge and understanding regarding the nature and quality of online friendships and social networking among adolescents. A sequential explanatory mixed method design, was put to use for the purpose of this study. The quantitative data was collected first in the form of a short survey, by utilising a self-developed questionnaire to obtain a general overview of the social network practices and the forming and maintaining of online friendships among adolescents. Twenty five participants took part in the survey. This study was followed by a qualitative study in the form of interviews, to clarify, elaborate and explain the quantitative findings. Five information rich participants were interviewed. The findings of the empirical investigation revealed that adolescents, being part of the Net Generation, base their concept of socialising with friends on digital and communication technology, especially cell phones. They are connected to their friends 24 hours a day. The sense of safety and support they experience through this constant connectedness strengthens their self-esteem, self-confidence and self-worth and contributes to their identity formation. It is therefore recommended that parents and educators should accept that adolescents live in a virtual world and their new way of socialising, needs to be acknowledged. Parents and educators should adjust accordingly, by getting educated in this field themselves. The Net Generation is a generation who focuses on relationships and collaboration through technology and this should be exploited by anybody who has contact or interacts with the adolescent of today. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)