This thesis investigates the effects that cultural ideals of height in the United States have upon how males react to and contend with their physical stature. Anthropological and psychological approaches are used to examine and interpret ways that height is culturally constructed, altered, and perceived by young adult males in the United States. Height has been demonstrated to have economic, political, reproductive, educational, and social consequences that are often overlooked in everyday life. In the United States, certain cultural ideals appear to grant advantages to taller individuals. Understanding how these cultural ideals are constructed and investigating cultural reactions to such ideals provides insight into culture in the United States. Cyberspace holds some of the answers for understanding how individuals construct and perceive height. Two studies were conducted employing MySpace, a social networking community, to investigate factors that may affect the self-reporting of male height. The self-reporting of height is a manifestation of how individuals chose to culturally represent themselves. MySpace provides a rich source of information and data for investigating the self-reporting of height. The first study determined that median household income had no association with how users choose to self-report their height. The second investigation found that there are significant differences in the way males self-report their height according to ethnicity and sexual orientation. The results underscore the tendency for males to positively distort their self-reported heights to approximate cultural ideals.

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Detta arbete inkluderar en undersökning av hur unga förhåller sig till brand content på Sociala medier. Resultaten av denna undersökning har bidragit till två slutprodukter som i sin tur levererats till två olika uppdragsgivare. Målgruppen är unga personer i åldrarna 15-24 bosatta i Sverige. Undersökningen har även inkluderat om målgruppen följer företag/varumärken på Sociala medier, anledningarna till varför de gör det, samt vad för slags innehåll som intresserar dem. Utifrån resultaten kan vi konstatera att ålder och/eller kön inte är avgörande för hur unga personer förhåller sig till, och konsumerar, brand content på sociala meder. Det beror snarare på personlighet och individuellt beteende. Av de data som har samlats in under arbetet har vi skapat två olika slutprodukter, en vardera till de olika uppdragsgivarna. / This project contains an analysis about how young people relate to brand content on Social media. The findings of the study have contributed to two end products that have been delivered to two different customers. The target group is between 15-24 years old and are residents in Sweden. The analysis has also included if the target group follow brands on Social media, reasons why they do, and what kind of content interests them. The report shows that age and/or gender does not correlate to how young people relate to, or consume, brand content on social media. The consumption of and relation to social media content is more dependent on aspects like the consumer’s personality and individual behaviour. From the data collected during the project we have created two different end products, one to each of the different clients.

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Social media become a powerful communication medium for effective online social interaction globally. The use of various social networking sites has integrated into people’s daily lives especially among young adults. Problem arises when personal information is used without individuals’ involvement and relevant privacy risks increased. The main focus for the thesis is to investigate privacy perception and risks knowledge of Facebook usage among university students in Sweden. Based on this focus, the research identifies the key reasons that students decide to use and still use Facebook despite of privacy risks. The study also explores how user perspective of privacy affects the utilization of Facebook. The adopted methodology is qualitative research through the methods of interview and Facebook data analysis among ten young adult students at Linnaeus University in Sweden. As result, the research has identified seven concepts and three special outcomes to answer the research questions. Through the analysis, we have recognized weak perception of privacy risks among university students. Although users claim they are privacy concerned yet large amount of private information is shared on Facebook. The findings have shown that users are somewhat willing to accept certain part of potential privacy risks and personal information usage by different parties, in exchange for benefits and needs of online interaction in today’s modern society. Users believe the shared personal information on Facebook is under control and they can prepare for possible consequences. However, we believe that people’s needs for popular online social interaction outweigh privacy concerns. We suggest that it is significantly important for social networking sites’ users to balance benefits and risks, in order to maintain balanced usage and positive effects of online personal privacy. In the end of the thesis, we have suggested two future research directions based on our research topic.

Difficulties in learning and understanding statistics in college education have led to a reform movement in statistics education in the early 1990s. Although much work has been done, there is more work that needs to be done in statistics education. The progress depends on how well the educators bring interesting real-life data into the classroom. The goal was to understand how course design based on First Principles of Instruction could facilitate tertiary-level students' conceptual understanding when learning introductory statistics in a technology-enhanced learning environment. An embedded single descriptive case design was employed to investigate how integrating technology and real data into a tertiary level statistics course would affect students' statistical literacy, reasoning, and thinking. Data including online assignment postings, online discussions, online peer evaluations, a comprehensive assessment, and open-ended interviews were analyzed to understand how the implementation of First Principles of Instruction affected a student's conceptual understanding in a tertiary level introductory statistics course. In addition, the teaching and learning quality (TALQ) survey was administered to evaluate the teaching and learning quality of the designed instruction from the student's perspective. Results from both quantitative and qualitative data analyses indicate that the course designed following Merrill's First Principles of Instruction contributes to a positive overall effectiveness of promoting students' conceptual understanding in terms of literacy, reasoning, and thinking statistically. However, students' statistical literacy, specifically, the understanding of statistical terminology did not develop to a satisfactory level as expected.

The Internet has infiltrated our daily lives in many ways. Social networking on the Internet is a great example of how the Internet has expanded interpersonal communication. Many individuals have made social networking sites, like FaceBook and Twitter, an essential part of their lives and use these platforms to communicate daily. Until recently, young people have been the primary participants in this fast-growing phenomenon, and older adults' participation in the Internet, specifically social networking sites, has lagged far behind. However, in recent years, there has been a noteworthy increase in the number of older adult participants. The increase in older adult participation in social networking sites is important because it seems to signify a decrease in the Internet usage gap called the "digital divide", and because there is strong evidence older adults may greatly benefit from social networking activity. The aging of the Baby Boomers has resulted in significant growth in the senior age group, reinforcing the timely importance of considering the older adults' "digital divide". This study uses a phenomenological approach to explore the experience of older adult users of social networking sites to determine the reasons why more older adults are now making social networking sites part of their lives. The study revealed both negative and positive influences on this choice that include: early negative personal experiences with technology, positive family influences, an increasing prevalence of technology, and technology's transition from complexity of use to ease of use. Although some resulting attitudes of older adults are negative, such as a need to control the role of social media in their life, online social networking plays a positive role in their lives. The probing, detailed nature of this phenomenological study clarifies influences and offers new perspectives, implying that research could benefit from a broader and deeper inspection. Research should consider, as related to the use of technology by older adults, a closer look at the effectiveness of training, potential gender differences in the choice to use technology, and the consequences of negative technological experiences.

During a public health crisis, officials need to communicate with the public quickly and accurately. Social networking sites (SNS) have been identified as an appropriate channel for this type of communication; however, few studies have examined what makes SNS messages effective. Further limiting research in this area is a lack of attention to theoretical constructs that may explain message effectiveness in SNS. In this dissertation, I propose that diffusion of innovations (DOI) be used to understand SNS and message success on SNS. In doing so, I compare traditional message success (persuasion) to message success on SNS platforms (amplification) and provide a brief overview of relevant message design constructs. I then conduct a study to analyze Twitter messages from state and local health departments and federal government agencies charged with communicating to the public during a public health crisis to test these theoretical claims and identify message elements that increase SNS message amplification. The context of the study is the fall 2014 Ebola crisis in the United States. The messages are first classified using content analysis methods to identify message design elements related to content, structure, and style. The success of those elements, in terms of the influence they have on messages amplification, is then evaluated using negative binomial regression. The results suggest that specific content (hazard information, response instruction, and official action), effective structure (word and image graphics), and key style choices (using figurative language, one hashtag or a keyword hashtag, and the first person) improve the amplification value of a message. Other choices, like mentioning another user, reduce the amplification value. These findings add to the evidence that suggests that DOI enhances scholars’ understanding of communication on SNS. In addition, the results demonstrate that messages can be conceptualized as innovations, and, as such, their characteristics influence the likelihood that they will be diffused through SNS platforms. The results suggest that those charged with communicating during a public health crisis use specific message strategies for SNS messages. These strategies include recommendations related to message content, message structure, and message style. Finally, the results suggest that scholars should continue research to understand the relationship between message design and message amplification in order to improve our knowledge of communication on SNS and help practitioners identify effective communication practices on this new and important channel. Research should also examine the relationship between persuasion and amplification in order to understand how amplification influences attitudes, behavioral intentions, and behavior in both those who amplify the message and in those who receive the message as a result of that amplification.

垂直性社群平台將定位聚焦在特定主題，匯聚對特定主題有興趣的人。由於 使用者在不分眾社群平台與分眾社群平台之間，表現出多棲的行為。在Facebook崛起後的台灣社群平台市場，分眾是進入社群平台市場的機會點。然而，對平台企業而言，成功經營的關鍵挑戰是能夠以平台創造的價值建立收益流。因此本研究探討以下問題： 一、 垂直性社群平台如何獲取價值？ 二、 影響垂直性社群平台營收模式發展方向的關鍵因素為何？ 三、 驅動垂直性社群平台營收持續成長的關鍵策略為何？ 為回答上述三大問題，本研究採取多個案研究法，針對三家個案平台依序分 析其營收模式的建立、主要營收驅動力的作用過程、營收成長策略。從分析結果，本研究得到以下的結論： 一、 垂直性社群平台獲取價值的方式主要有兩種型態：其一是藉由掌握對大量 高同質性「社群成員邊」及「外部的資訊搜尋者邊」購買決策的影響力，吸引以此群人為目標客群的廠商，並與廠商在新市場進入策略或行銷或銷售等面向合作。其二是藉由對目標客群偏好需求的瞭解，推出實體商品。 二、 社群成員的特質是影響垂直性社群平台營收模式發展方向的關鍵因素。 三、 社群成員成長策略是驅動垂直性社群平台營收持續成長的關鍵。 / The position of a vertical social networking platform focuses on a specific topic, and members of the vertical social networking are interested in this specific topic. Due to multi-homing behavior of users between social networking platforms which focus on specific topics and social networking platforms which do not focus on specific topics, after the growing of Facebook in Taiwan, focusing a specific group gives platform-based companies opportunities to enter the social networking platform market. However, what the biggest challenges in running a successful platform is to establish revenue streams by the value that the platform creates. The present study tries to answer the following three questions: 1. How does a vertical social networking platform capture value？ 2. What are the key factors that affect the development direction of revenue model for a vertical social networking platform？ 3. What are the key strategies a vertical social networking platform use to drive revenue growth？ By analyzing the platform value capture mechanisms, this study concludes that: 1. Vertical social networking platforms capture value by two way mainly: first, on the basis of influence on consumer decision-making, vertical social networking platforms attract firms to cooperate on market entry strategies or marketing. Second, vertical social networking platforms could launch physical products based on understanding needs and preferences of users. 2. The common characteristic of the community members is the key factor that affects the development direction of revenue model for a vertical social networking platform. 3. The community member growth strategy is the key to drive community platform revenue growth.

Ο εικοστός πρώτος αιώνας θα μπορούσε εύκολα να χαρακτηριστεί ως τεχνολογικός αιώνας μιας και τα νέα δεδομένα μαρτυρούν αύξηση της χρήσης του ηλεκτρονικού υπολογιστή, του Διαδικτύου και κατ’ επέκταση των κοινωνικών δικτύων. Κι αυτό γιατί η επισκεψιμότητα των κοινωνικών δικτύων και η συμμετοχή σε αυτά, τόσο σε παγκόσμιο όσο και σε ελληνικό επίπεδο εκφράζεται ιδιαίτερα υψηλή. Η κοινωνική δικτύωση στο Ιντερνέτ και τα κοινωνικά δίκτυα στο web συνέβαλαν στην μεταβολή της δομής και της ανάπτυξης του Παγκόσμιου Ιστού. Στην παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία θα μελετηθούν τα κοινωνικά δίκτυα, η δομή τους, οι υπηρεσίες που παρέχουν καθώς και οι τεχνολογίες υποστήριξης τους. Επίσης, θα παρουσιαστούν οι τρόποι που επιτυγχάνεται η διαχείριση γνώσης μέσω των κοινωνικών δικτύων και θα αναλυθούν κάποια εργαλεία ποιοτικής και ποσοτικής ανάπτυξης. Η δομή της διπλωματικής εργασίας έχει ως εξής: Στο πρώτο κεφάλαιο ορίζεται η έννοια της εξατομίκευσης, της κοινωνικής δικτύωσης και παρουσιάζονται τα εξής κοινωνικά δίκτυα: My Space, Bebo, Linked In, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube.com, Google+, Friendster, Hi5, Sobees, Zokem, Gowalla, Qik. Στο δεύτερο κεφάλαιο παρουσιάζεται η ανάλυση των κοινωνικών δικτύων καθώς και οι μετρικές της ανάλυσης κοινωνικών δικτύων (μετρήσεις αναφορικά με τους κόμβους, μετρήσεις αναφορικά με τους γράφους). Στο τρίτο κεφάλαιο γίνεται αναφορά στα χαρακτηριστικά των κοινωνικών δικτύων, στους ρόλους κλειδιά εντός των κοινωνικών δικτύων (υπερβολικά κεντρικός ρόλος, ρόλος του αφανή ήρωα, ρόλος μεσάζοντα, ρόλος γεφύρωσης απομακρυσμένων ομάδων, υπερβολικά περιφερειακός ρόλος), στις υπηρεσίες, στις γλωσσικές ιδιότητες, καθώς και στους τομείς που εφαρμόζονται (εκπαιδευτικές, επιχειρηματικές, κυβερνητικές, ιατρικές εφαρμογές, εφαρμογές γνωριμιών). Στο τέταρτο κεφάλαιο παρουσιάζονται οι κίνδυνοι που ελλοχεύουν από την χρήση των κοινωνικών δικτύων. Η χρησιμοποίηση των προσωπικών δεδομένων των χρηστών με διαφόρους τρόπους, η αποπλάνηση ανηλίκων μέσω δημιουργίας ψεύτικων προφίλ, η κλοπή της ταυτότητας και των στοιχείων του λογαριασμού, η μετάδοση ιών, η αποστολή ανεπιθύμητης αλληλογραφίας, καθώς και η προσωποποιημένη επίθεση (phishing) είναι μερικοί από τους κίνδυνους που παρουσιάζονται από την χρήση των κοινωνικών δικτύων.Στο πέμπτο κεφάλαιο παρουσιάζεται εκτενέστερα το κοινωνικό δίκτυο Facebook, τα χαρακτηριστικά του και οι τεχνολογίες υλοποίησής τους. Γίνεται αναφορά στον τρόπο υλοποίησης της υπηρεσίας Chat με την χρήση του πρωτοκόλλου XMPP, Jabber ID. Επίσης, γίνεται αναφορά στο πρωτόκολλο επικοινωνίας IPv6, στην απόδοση διευθύνσεων, στις βελτιώσεις σε σχέση με το IPV4 κτλ. Στο έκτο κεφάλαιο εξετάζεται το λογισμικό για την ανάλυση των κοινωνικών δικτύων. Παρουσιάζονται κάποια εργαλεία ποσοτικής και ποιοτικής μέτρησης των κοινωνικών δικτύων, όπως το UCINET, Pajek, NetMiner II, STRUCTURE, MultiNet, και StOCNET. / The twenty-first century could easily be described as a century when great advance in technology was accomplished and facts reveal the increasing use of computer, internet and social networks. This is because the traffic of social networks and participation in them, both globally and also in Greece is expressed in very high level. Social networking on the Internet and social networks on the web helped to change the structure and development of the World Wide Web. This diploma will study social networks, their structure, the services they provide and their supporting technologies. Moreover, the ways that knowledge management is achieved through social networks will be presented and some tools for qualitative and quantitative growth will be analyzed. The structure of the thesis is as follows: The first chapter defines the concept of personalization, social networking and presents the following social networks: My Space, Bebo, Linked In, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube.com, Google+, Friendster, Hi5, Sobees, Zokem, Gowalla, Qik. The second chapter presents the analysis of social networks and the metrics of social network analysis (measurements with respect to the nodes, measurements regarding graphs). The third chapter refers to the features of social networks, to key roles within social networks (too central role, the role of silent hero role, intermediary role, role bridging remote teams, too peripheral role), services, language properties and applied fields (ex. education, business, government, medical applications, acquaintances). The fourth chapter describes the hazards posed through social networks. The use of personal data in different ways, the seduction of children by creating false profiles, identity and account information theft, transmission of viruses, spamming, 6 and personalized phishing attack are some of the dangers presented by the use of social networks. The fifth chapter presents in more detail the social network Facebook, the features and technologies implemented. This refers to how the Chat service is implemented using the protocol XMPP, Jabber ID. Reference is also made to the communication protocol IPv6, the addressing, the improvements over the IPV4 etc. The sixth chapter discusses the software for the analysis of social networks. It presents some quantitative and qualitative measurement of social networks such as UCINET, Pajek, NetMiner II, STRUCTURE, MultiNet, and StOCNET.